French Bread With Kalamata Olives And Thyme

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water, room temperature
• 3/4 cup greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (for do-ahead version) or 2 teaspoons fast-rising active dry yeast (for same-day version)
• 3/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 4 ounces pitted) or 3/4 cup other brine-cured black olives (about 4 ounces pitted)
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped (or minced)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (or more if needed)
• olive oil
• 1 egg , beaten to blend

Recipe

• 1 bring milk to simmer in small saucepan. add butter and sugar; stir until butter melts. pour mixture into large bowl. add 1/2 cup room-temperature water, the greek yogurt and cool mixture until lukewarm (85°f to 95°f), about 10 minutes.
• 2 add yeast; stir to blend. stir in olives, tomatoes, garlic, thyme and salt. add 1 cup flour. using wood spoon, stir until flour is incorporated. add 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir vigorously with wood spoon until incorporated after each addition. if necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl.
• 3 oil large bowl. transfer dough to bowl; turn to coat with oil. cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. for do-ahead version: chill dough overnight. for same-day version: let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).
• 4 position rack in center of oven and preheat to 500°f oil large baking sheet. turn dough out onto floured work surface (to avoid deflating, do not punch down dough and do not knead dough). divide dough into 2 equal pieces. gently form (do not knead) each piece into baguette 15 inches long by 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches wide (dough will not be smooth).
• 5 transfer baguettes to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. cover loosely with plastic wrap. let rise in warm draft-free area until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes for refrigerated dough and 15 minutes for room-temperature dough.
• 6 brush top of each loaf lightly with egg . generously spray inside of oven with water (about 8 sprays); immediately place loaves in oven. bake 10 minutes. reduce oven temperature to 400°f and continue to bake until loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes. cool on rack.
• 7 tip:.
• 8 oil your hands before starting to work with the dough. it really helps.