This recipe and my sourdough bread recipes are my favorite breads!

Kalamata Olive Country Bread

Liquid from olive jar
Warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon crushed dry rosemary
1 1/2 cups light rye flour
2 3/4 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
6-ounce bottle or 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Add enough warm water to olive juice to equal 1 cup of total liquid. Place all ingredients, except the olives, in bread pan according to manufacturer's instructions; select dough setting and press start. Depending on how much juice is in the olives, you might need to add additional flour. Check the dough (don't be afraid to open the lid). It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoons at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).

When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. Knead in the olives at this point. NOTE: I have found that the bread machine tears the olives up too much, so I now knead them in after the dough cycle has finished. Form dough into an oval, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. After resting, turn dough bottom side up and press to flatten.

Fold dough into an envelope by folding the top 1/3 of the way to the bottom. Then fold the bottom a 1/3 of the way over the top. Then press dough with the palm of your hand to make an indentation down the center of the dough and fold the top completely to the bottom, sealing the seam with the palm of your hand.

Place on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or covered with a silpad; cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot to rise for approximately 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Oven Rising: Sometimes I use my oven for the rising. Turn the oven on for a minute or so, then turn it off again. This will warm the oven and make it a great environment for rising bread. If you can't comfortably press your hand against the inside of the oven door, the oven is too hot. Let it stand open to cool a bit. Sourdough rises more slowly than yeast bread; Always remember, the longer the rise time, the more sourdough flavor.

Cool or Refrigerator Rise: If I don't have the time to wait for the rise to finish or I know that I will be interrupted before the completed rise, I do a cool rise. A cool rise is when the dough is place in the refrigerator and left to rise slowly over night approximately 8 to 12 hours. I usually do this after the first rise and the dough has been shaped into a loaf. As this is a longer rise time, it improves the sourdough flavor in your finished bread.

After dough has risen, slash the bread with a very sharp knife making three 1/2-inch deep diagonal slashes. Brush the top of the bread with cold water and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned. A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.

Makes 1 1/2-pound loaf