Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread
The best parts of fresh bread and the best add ins for bread without the kneading! This rosemary olive no knead bread is a no fuss no muss bread perfect for those who are easing their way into baking bread. The catch? It takes about 20-22 hours to rise.
About This Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread Recipe
This bread is perfect for those who want homemade bread but either don’t have a mixer or are not savvy bread bakers. 6 ingredients (4 if you’re crazy and don’t like rosemary and olives in your bread) and no kneading. NO kneading. A dream! This crusty rosemary olive bread has a super crunchy crust and super soft inside and is the easiest bread you will ever make. Plot twist: it takes about 20-22 hours to rise and bake and uses a dutch oven or cast iron pot.
Where Did No Knead Bread Come From?
No knead bread is not at all a recent phenomenon as flat bread was made with those simple ingredients before kneading was even invented. However, the no knead bread we know today came in 2006 when some guy named Mark Bitton introduced the bread craving world to Jim Lahey’s no knead bread that he made in his bakery. The bread then became wildly popular as many people love homemade bread but hate kneading. It consists simply of mixing ingredients, letting it sit for hours, and baking it in a dutch oven.
Read about it’s quick history as well as the science to it, which I explain below, here!
About the Ingredients
- Bread flour: After the early pandemic bread baking craze, you can find bread flour at most stores. However, if yours mystically does not carry it or you’re out and don’t feel like running to the store you can use all purpose flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content which is better for bread baking since bread dough relies on the proteins from the flour to shape, rise, and bake well.
- Pitted Olives: This is a perfect rosemary kalamata olive bread recipe but you can certainly use any olives you prefer.
- Fresh Rosemary: Fresh is always best but if you have dried, that is a perfectly fine substitute.
Major Allergens Present: Gluten
About the Equipment
- Cast iron pot with a lid: A cast iron pot is needed to bake this bread not only for scientific purposes (explained below) but also because the dough is very hydrated and needs a container to help shape it.
How to Make This Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread Recipe:
Mix All the Ingredients Together:
It really is as easy as just mixing all the ingredients together. No mixer needed. When you mix flour and water together it initiates a process called autolysis which breaks down long strands of proteins in the flour into shorter ones that are used to trap gasses giving rise to bread. Usually, you knead the dough to help build a network of these protein strands that traps gasses for rise, but since we do not knead the dough, we let it sit and rise for many hours.
Allow to rise for 18-20 hours:
The dough should be covered and allowed to rise for almost a full day. I will usually start it midday so I can bake it in the morning. If it’s warm in my apartment I will let it rise for about 18 hours, but if it’s cold then I will extend that to 20 or even 22 hours. Letting it rise for an extra hour won’t do any harm since the whole process is so slow. The long 12-24 hour proofing time for the dough allows these proteins to not only break down but to also align themselves to form gluten and create that network to trap gasses provided by the yeast.
Shape the Loaf:
Shaping a loaf of bread continues the process of building a network of gluten strands. It stretches them out to create a better net. Since this dough has a high hydration level, it doesn’t need a firm shape, so don’t get upset when it sploodges. When shaping, take the dough and push and pull it into a firm ball. You will want a floured surface because it is a sticky dough. After shaping, wrap it in a towel and allow to rest. The resting time is a good time to preheat the oven and your vessel.
Bake the Rosemary olive no knead bread:
The key here is preheating your cast iron pot with the lid on in your oven while it preheats. This helps increase the radiant energy because the transfer of heat from the compact Dutch oven to dough is much faster than just sticking it in the oven. Also, the lid on top helps regulate the steam and moisture in the Dutch oven. This helps transfer heat faster than dry heat. A fast transfer of heat is crucial and what gives bread “oven spring” which contributes to a puffy loaf. Halfway through baking, you remove the lid so the bread has the opportunity to brown.
Extra Tips and Tricks On for a Successful Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread
How to Shape a No Knead Bread Loaf
- When shaping the dough into a rough ball you’re going to want a decently floured surface as this dough is fairly sticky. The end goal is a tight ball with a belly button (or seam) on the bottom.
- First, I fold the dough edges into the center to establish the seam and flip it over.
- Then, I usually use two hands (I have small hands) to roll the dough first to get a rough ball. Once I have a sphere-ish shape, I slide the dough towards me cupping my two hands behind it and rely on the friction between the table and the dough to tighten the dough into a firmer ball rotating the ball around each time I pull.
- Since this is a more hydrated dough the shaping will not stay in place so no need to spend too much time shaping!
How to Spice Up This Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread:
- Experiment with different herbs and add ins such as garlic, gruyere, red pepper or tomato paste, and other hearty flavors!
Life Expectancy, Storing, and Freezing Capabilities:
- Store in a ziplock bag for up to 4 days at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in a freezer for up to 2 months.
Troubleshooting Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread:
- My dough didn’t rise and my bread is really dense! You did not let it rise enough or your yeast is dead. If your environment is on the cold side then you may need to let it rise closer to 22 hours. If your environment is fairly warm and you let it rise for 18-20 hours then it may be a problem with your yeast. Throw out your yeast, and get more. You can test your yeast by mixing with warm water and sugar. If it bubbles then it’s still good. If not then it’s trash.
Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!
Rosemary Olive No Knead Bread
Equipment
- Cast iron pot
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pitted olives your choice of olive
- 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary
- 456 g Bread flour
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Active dry yeast
- 368 g Water lukewarm
Instructions
- Drain and dry the olives then chop with the rosemary.
- Combine with the rest of the ingredients and mix together until fully combined with your hands.
- Cover and allow to proof for 18 hours.
- Remove from the container and shape into a ball (see tips on shaping above). Wrap in a clean towel and allow to rest for 1-2 hours.
- 20-30 minutes before your 1-2 hours are up, preheat the oven with the cast iron pot and lid inside to 450°F.
- Carefully place the dough seamside down in the cast iron pot. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20-25 or until a deep golden brown.
- Allow to cool before slicing and enjoying with butter or olive oil and salt.
Omg this is SO GOOD for my lazy butt! Came out beautifully.
Hahahha I’m glad you liked it!