Double Love - Olive and Pepper Bread

Like most moms I’m sure, I have always loved spending time with my kids. That becomes more and more true as I get older.

But the bonus I never thought about is the double love: The significant others of my son and daughter that I have to come to love so much.

My daughter-in-law Colleen has been a wonderful addition to my son David’s life, and my own as well.

My son-in-law Tom is the perfect compliment to my daughter, Lauren, and bonus: he cooks with me!

So when we got together for Mothers’ Day weekend and made paella (our fair-weather family dish), Tom and I made something else to go with.

INGREDIENTS

3 ½ cups bread flour (plus extra)

2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups warm water (110°)

1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for coating bowl

2 teaspoons sorghum (or honey or sugar)

1 cup mixed olives pitted, chopped, drained, and dried well

1/4-1/3 cup chopped hot or roasted red peppers

METHOD

In a large bowl, combine bread flour, yeast, salt, warm water, olive oil, and sorghum.

Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine until a slightly shaggy, very sticky dough forms. You can always add a little flour if it’s too sticky to handle, but do it a little at a time. Sprinkle in the chopped olives and peppers.

Lightly flour your hands to fold the dough together until the olives are incorporated throughout.

Set the dough aside, wipe the bowl, and then lightly coat it with oil before returning the dough. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 35-40 minutes.

Lightly dust your hands with flour and shape the risen dough into a smooth ball by folding the dough under itself in the bowl. Take a piece of parchment paper Transfer the shaped dough to the a piece of parchment paper that will be large enough to use to remove the loaf from the Dutch oven.

Cover and let it rise again for about 15 minutes.

During the second rise, preheat the oven to 450°F and place the Dutch oven on a lower rack to heat up.

After rising, use a sharp knife to make a ½-inch deep crosshatch cut on top of the dough. Carefully transfer the parchment paper and dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, and continue baking uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes until the bread is browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and use the parchment paper to lift the loaf out of the Dutch oven to a cooling rack. It’s recommended to let bread cool for 45 minutes before slicing.

We didn’t do that. We warmed up some garlic and herbs  with a little Parmesan and Maldon salt & went to town.

I hope you all had as rich and rewarding a Mothers’ Day as I was lucky enough to have, with lots of double love.

And bread.