Homemade Olive Oil Bread

As the bread baking in the oven fills my house with smells of deliciousness, my insides get all tight inside and my mouth begins to water as I wait not-so-patiently for the bread to finish baking.  Homemade bread is something special and maybe doesn't grace our dinner table as often as it should (or maybe as often as I'd like).

This recipe for homemade olive oil bread is changing that because it's really quite simple to make.  No mixer needed, just a big bowl and a sturdy wooden spoon.  It all comes together rather quickly, but does require some hang out time on the counter to rise, but with a little planning ahead, you can have a perfectly delicious loaf of warm bread ready by dinner time. 

So pull out a big bowl and a wooden spoon and go to work, you’ll be happy you did.

 

 

Homemade Olive Oil Bread

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon honey
1 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup great quality extra virgin olive oil
3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, honey, and water.  Stir to combine and let rest for 5 minutes, or until yeast begins to foam.  Add the olive oil, flour, and salt and stir to combine into a shaggy ball.  Place shaggy dough ball on a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute until dough is smooth and a round ball forms.

Brush a little olive oil inside the empty mixing bowl and place dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Once doubled, place dough on a lightly floured surface and press dough into a rectangle.  Fold in both sides like you are folding a business letter.  Press gently into a rectangle again and fold again as you would a business letter and then tuck sides under, forming dough into a ball.

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil and allow to rise again for 30 minutes, lightly draped with plastic wrap to cover.  Just before baking, sprinkle with flake salt.

Bake for 30 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Remove bread from oven and brush loaf of bread with additional olive oil if desired.

Recipe slightly adapted from Live.Love.Lux