At a Glance
A rustic wheat (Weizenbrot) sourdough loaf layered with briny olives for Mediterranean flavour. The method uses an autolyse and lamination/laminated folds so olives are added during shaping to preserve gluten structure and avoid oiling out. This produces an open crumb with good oven spring when handled correctly.[1][2][3]
Not suitable if:
- • You don't have an active sourdough starter → create a starter
- • You prefer very low-hydration breads (this is medium-high hydration) → see lower-hydration options
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate flour and water measurements
Dutch Oven or Cast Iron Pot
Creates consistent steam environment for oven spring and crust
Banneton Proofing Basket
Helps shape wet wheat dough and shows a clear pattern
Dough Scraper/Bench Knife
Useful for folding and managing sticky high-hydration wheat dough
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Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale. Olives must be drained and patted dry to avoid adding excess oil or brine, which weakens gluten.[1][4]
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour (or strong wheat) | 500g | 100% | higher protein gives structure with inclusions |
| Water (room temp) | 375g | 75% | 75% hydration; adjust +/- 2–3% depending on flour |
| Active sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 100g | 20% | bubbly, 4–6 hours after feeding |
| Salt | 10g | 2% | Add after autolyse |
| Olives (Kalamata or Castelvetrano), pitted and halved | 150g | 30% | Room temperature, well-drained; add during lamination |
Schedule
Long Flavor (recommended)
Build flavour with a long cold retard
Quick (no cold retard)
Bake same day if needed
💡 Tips
- If dough rises too quickly, slow fermentation in the fridge (cold retardation) preserves flavor and prevents overproofing[2].
- Shaped dough can hold in the fridge 24–48h if you need flexibility; allow 30–60 min at room temp before baking if very cold[1][2].
Step by Step
Autolyse
Mix flour and water in a large mixing bowl until no dry flour remains. Rest 30–45 minutes. Autolyse hydrates flour and speeds gluten development without mechanical work.[2][3]
⏱ 30-45 minutes
Mix starter and salt
Add starter and salt to the autolysed dough. Incorporate with a dough scraper or by pinching. Perform 4 coil folds or 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over the next 90–120 minutes to build strength.[1][2]
⏱ 90-120 minutes
Add olives during lamination
Instead of mixing olives into slack dough (which can oil out gluten), perform a lamination or a single set of gentle folds and place olives between layers so they're incorporated without degassing the dough. Use room-temperature, drained olives; pat dry with paper towel.[2][3][4]
⏱ 10-15 minutes
Pre-shape and bench rest
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pre-shape into a loose round or oblong, rest 15–30 minutes for gluten to relax.
⏱ 15-30 minutes
Final shape and proof
Shape into a bâtard or boule and place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton or lined bowl. Proof at room temp until almost doubled, or retard in fridge overnight for flavor development.[1][2]
⏱ 1.5-3 hours at 20–24°C or 12–18 hours in fridge
Bake with steam
Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F with a Dutch oven inside for 30+ minutes. Turn dough onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame, transfer to hot Dutch oven, cover. After 15–20 min remove lid and reduce temp to 200°C/400°F for 20–30 min until deep golden.[1][2]
⏱ 45-60 minutes total
Cool
Use oven mitts to remove loaf and cool on a rack for at least 2 hours. Cutting too early yields a gummy crumb; cooling completes gelatinization and crumb set.[2][3]
⏱ 2+ hours
Tips & Variations
Variations
Castelvetrano (milder) or Kalamata (briny)
Swap olive variety
→ Castelvetrano gives buttery, milder notes; Kalamata adds sharp, briny tang
Herb addition
Add 1–2 tsp chopped rosemary or thyme during lamination
→ Pairs well with olives, adds aromatic lift
Lower hydration
Reduce water to 360g (72%)
→ Easier handling if you're new to higher hydration doughs
Pro Tips
- 💡 Always drain and pat olives dry—excess oil/brine weakens gluten and can cause dense crumb[1][4].
- 💡 Add olives late (during lamination) to keep dough structure and even distribution[2].
- 💡 Check readiness with a timed poke test rather than only visual cues; cold dough proofs slower.[2][3]
Common Issues
Common issues when adding inclusions like olives and how to fix them:
Storage
Paper bag at room temp
2-3 days
Good for maintaining crust; keep in a cool, dry spot
Cloth bag or bread box
3-5 days
Preserves crumb softness while avoiding soggy crust
Freezing
3 months
Slice before freezing; reheat slices from frozen or toast
⚠️ Avoid refrigeration—starch retrogradation speeds staling in the fridge[2][3].
Sources
-
[1]
King Arthur Baking – Rustic Olive Sourdough Bread Recipe | King Arthur Baking (en) – Link
-
[2]
The Perfect Loaf / Brod & Taylor – Tartine Olive Sourdough Bread - The Perfect Loaf (en) – Link
-
[3]
The Perfect Loaf – Oliven Sauerteigbrot Rezept - Brod & Taylor (de) – Link
-
[4]
The Pantry Mama (The Clever Carrot) – Sourdough Olive Bread Recipe - The Pantry Mama (en) – Link
-
[5]
Food52 / NotJustFood – How to Make Olive Bread - Sourdough Bread With Olives Recipe - Food52 (en) – Link