Moroccan Olive Bread

Ingredients

3 cups of flour (keep extra flour on the side for kneading)

1 1/2 cups of warm water

6 oz of black olives cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of thyme

1 tablespoon of dry yeast

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

Directions

Activating yeast: Dilute the dry yeast with the sugar and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let the yeast mixture rest for 5 minutes. The yeast is active if the mixture expands and bubbles up.

Making the dough:

2- Add the water, olive oil, thyme, and salt to the yeast mixture.

3- Gradually add the flour to the mixture until the flour is completely diluted. You will end up with a sticky dough. 

4- Add the olives to the dough.

5- Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Kneading the dough:

6- After 30 minutes, the dough doubles in volume. Sprinkle generously flour on your working area and place the dough over it.

7- Sprinkle the dough with flour and knead for the next 10 minutes using the palm of your hand. Add flour to the dough when needed until you end up with a malleable non-sticky dough.

8- Shape your breads. You can make round breads by flattening a ball of dough the size of your fist. To make French Baguette, flatten the dough into a disk using a rolling pin, then wrap the disk into a roll.

9- Transfer the breads into a baking pan covered with parchment paper.

10- Cover the breads and let them rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Baking the breads:

11- Preheat your oven to 420 F degrees.

12- Place your baking pan in the lower third of the oven and let them bake for 30 minutes or until done.