The angle of light has shifted here in the Northeast. The sun now sparkles through leaves tinged with gold and russet. It’s the season of late harvests, soups, and stews—all of which call for an exuberant loaf of bread. Enter the Green Olive, Rosemary, and Black Pepper Loaf, with bold flavors of whole grain punctuated by salty bursts of olives, parmesan, rosemary, and a hint of peppery heat. This loaf is a perfect companion to slices of cheese or salami, but it truly shines when served alongside a rich, brothy stew of poultry, meat, or vegetables.

To make this dough, I combined whole wheat and bread flour, with a dash of rye flour added to speed up the rise. Rye nourishes the yeast, helping the dough ferment more quickly. Bread flour provides chew and structure, essential for holding all those delicious add-ins.

Green Olive, Black Pepper Loaf for World Bread Day

Because this loaf is so large, I bake it in a covered mold from Emile Henry, which gives the loaf a perfect crisp crust and uniform shape for slicing.

Green Olive, Rosemary and Black Pepper Wheat Loaf for world bread day sliced

Mixing Using and Ankarsrum Mixer

While you can certainly mix this dough by hand, I made it using a standout piece of kitchen equipment: a bright yellow Ankarsrum stand mixer.

This “gentle giant” is a marvel of engineering and Swedish design. Its heavy stainless steel bowl sits on a powerful motor that turns the bowl itself, not the paddles. There is a stout dough roller, which kneads the dough. A sturdy scraper attachment ensures every bit of flour is incorporated.

I’ve never encountered a machine that mixes dough so gently yet thoroughly. The open bowl makes adding more flour or other ingredients so easy. (The dough roller and scraper are easily removed.) After testing it several times, I have yet to exceed its capacity.

Ankarsrum mixer covered bowl

 

World Bread Day: October 16, 2024

In 2002, two European bakers’ unions established World Bread Day. This day honors the craft of bread making and highlight the importance of bread in our daily diets. They chose October 16  to commemorate the anniversary of the creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO plays a crucial role in fighting global food insecurity.

On World Bread Day, we are encouraged to celebrate the vital role bread plays in nourishing the world. Bake bread at home. Share it with friends. Support a local bakery. Donate to a charity that combats hunger.

Four of my favorite brands have created a generous social media giveaway in honor of World Bread Day.

Both Ankarsrum and Emile Henry support World Bread Day and kindly provided the equipment I used to create this recipe, Green Olive, Rosemary, and Black Pepper Loaf for World Bread Day.

Green Olive, Rosemary and Black Pepper Loaf for World Bread Day

Yield: 1 Large Loaf

Green Olive, Rosemary and Black Pepper Loaf for World Bread Day

This Green Olive, Rosemary, and Black Pepper Loaf has the bold flavors of whole grain punctuated by salty bursts of olives, parmesan, rosemary, and a hint of peppery heat. This loaf is a perfect companion to slices of cheese or salami, but it truly shines when served alongside a rich, brothy stew of poultry, meat, or vegetables.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (575 grams) lukewarm water 100°F

1 Tablespoon (14 grams) olive oil

2 teaspoons (6 grams) instant yeast

¼ cup (37 grams) rye flour

2 cups (260 grams) whole wheat flour

4 ⅓ cups (520 grams) King Arthur Bread Flour

1 Tablespoon (16 grams) kosher salt

1 cup (115 grams) chopped pitted green olives such as castelvetrano

¾ cup (75 grams) grated parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons (4 grams) chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon (4 grams) coarse ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Place the water, olive oil and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer such as the Ankarsrum. Run the mixer on low speed for a minute to dissolve the yeast.
  2. Add the rye, whole wheat and bread flours and salt.
  3. Mix on low speed until the ingredients come together into a shaggy ball of dough. Adjust the position of the dough roller, if necessary, so that there is an inch of space between the roller and bowl. Add more water, a small amount at a time, if necessary, until the dough comes together. Then knead the dough on low speed until it is smooth and elastic, for 7 to 8 minutes.
  4. Remove the scraper and dough roller then simply cover the mixing bowl. (Or, scrape the dough out onto a floured surface. Form it into a ball. Place it into a bowl and cover it.) Let the dough rise away from cold drafts until it has tripled in bulk, for about 2 – 2 ½ hours.
  5. Uncover the mixer bowl. Insert the scraper and dough roller into the machine. Add the olives, cheese, rosemary and black pepper to the risen dough in the mixer bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and gently knead in the ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes. (Or, punch down the dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Flatten the dough into a rectangle. Scatter the olives, cheese, rosemary and black pepper over the dough. Roll it up then knead the dough to incorporate the additional ingredients.)
  6. Gather the dough into a round ball. Place it on a floured surface and roll it gently to create a log shape. Place the formed dough onto a lightly-floured sheet of parchment paper. Using the parchment paper as a sling, lift the dough carefully into an Emile Henry loaf mold. Cover with its lid. Let the dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F.
  8. Remove the lid from the baker. Score the surface of the dough with a baker’s lame or serrated knife. Replace the lid and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 5 more minutes, if needed, to brown the crust.
  9. Remove the loaf baker from the oven. Unmold and cool the loaf on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.