A better-keeping bread than the standard baguette or boule, largely because it contains olive oil, and an easy one to fancify, with the addition of olives and rosemary.

　　

Ingredients

makes 2 round loaves or 1 huge one

　　3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed

　　2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast, such as SAF

　　2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt

　　1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, optional

　　1 cup halved and pitted black olives, preferably oil-cured (but reasonably tender), optional

　　

Step 1

Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn the machine on and add the olive oil through the feed tube, followed by 1 cup water. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. If dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for another 10 seconds. (In the unlikely event that the mixture is too sticky, add flour, a tablespoon at a time.)

　　

Step 2

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and, by hand, knead in either the rosemary or the olives or both (or neither). Form a smooth, round dough ball, put this in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours. (You can cut this rising time short if you are in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 6 or 8 hours.) Proceed to step 3 or wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. (Defrost in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature.)

　　

Step 3

When the dough is ready, form it into a ball and divide it into 2 pieces if you like or leave whole; roll each piece into a round ball. Place each ball on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with a little flour, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rest until the dough puffs slightly, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Pinch the bottom of the ball(s) to seal the seam as best you can. Sprinkle all over with flour and let rise on a well-floured (or use cornmeal) peel or baking sheet, covered, for at least an hour and preferably longer, up to 2 hours.

　　

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slash the top several times with a razor blade (you can make a pattern if you like). Put the baking sheet directly into the oven or slide the dough from the peel onto a pizza stone on a rack set low in the oven. Bake until the loaves are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F. (If necessary, adjust the oven heat so the breads brown evenly.) Bake until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread is at least 210°F, 40 to 60 minutes total. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

　　

Olive Oil Bread with Onions and Mint

Step 6

You can make this with olives, too, but omit the rosemary: In step 2, knead 1 large onion, minced, into the dough in place of or along with the olives. Add, if you like, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves.

　　

Semolina Bread

Step 7

A standard in North Africa: Substitute 2 cups fine semolina flour for 2 cups of the white flour. Instead of forming the dough into loaves, roll or press it into large rounds (at least 10 inches in diameter), as you would pizza (page 572).

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.