No-knead olive bread

Ingredients
350 g water at 15°C, cold tap water
400 g Italian '0' flour
200 g chopped Taggiasca olives
9 g fresh yeast or 3 g dried yeast from a sachet
Thank you to VivaLa Focaccia for this no-knead recipe: no kneading by hand or mixer.
Simply mix the ingredients for a few minutes. Jim Lahey’s revolutionary approach combines very little yeast, high hydration and a long rise.
I recommend preparing the dough in the evening and continuing the next day.
You need a covered baking container at least 25 cm across and 14 high, able to withstand 250°C.
Cast iron is recommended; I tried Pyrex with excellent results.

I dissolve the yeast in the water in a large bowl.

I add all the flour and chopped olives. The recipe adds no salt, but I think a teaspoon works well, depending on how salty the olives are.

I oil a large bowl lightly to make removing the dough easier later.

I mix for about 1 minute until the flour is absorbed, producing an uneven, sticky dough, then transfer to the oiled bowl.

I cover very thoroughly with cling film and leave untouched in a corner of the house for 12 to 18 hours, until doubled in volume.
Here is mine after 14 hours.

I generously flour the work surface and gently turn out the dough without working it. It will be fairly loose.

I oil my hands, or use a spatula, and fold the dough into thirds.

I turn it and fold in half.

I repeat these folds once more, first into thirds, then halves.
I shape a ball and place on a tea towel generously dusted with white flour and maize flour, the type used for polenta.

I cover loosely and leave to rise for 1 hour in very warm surroundings, otherwise 2 hours.

Half an hour before baking, I heat the conventional oven to 250°C with the baking container inside.
After 2 hours, the dough has doubled.

I carefully remove the extremely hot container. Placing my hands beneath the towel, I gently but decisively tip the dough into it.

I cover immediately.

I bake for 30 minutes. You will see the bread gradually rise.


After half an hour, I open the oven and very carefully remove the lid, rotate the container and bake another 15 or 20 minutes, judging whether it is well browned.

The bread is ready. I immediately remove it from the oven and container and cool completely on a rack, then slice with a serrated knife. The crust should be very crisp and the crumb soft.
The greatest satisfaction is watching bread grow in the oven: you realise it is alive.

I also made a loaf replacing 50 g olives with 50 g dried tomatoes. Delicious too.