Crispy Olive Rosemary Sourdough Boule
A rustic homemade sourdough bread featuring a crispy crust, tender crumb, and flavorful mix-ins of olives and fresh rosemary. Perfect for cozy gatherings and easy enough for home bakers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 4 to 5 hours plus proofing time (including bulk fermentation and final proof)
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8-10 servings) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Rustic / Artisan
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (500g) bread flour
- 1½ cups (350g) lukewarm water (around 75°F / 24°C)
- ½ cup (100g) active sourdough starter, bubbly and fed within 8 hours
- 2 teaspoons (10g) fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (100g) pitted green or black olives, roughly chopped (Castelvetrano olives recommended)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (avoid woody stems)
Instructions
- Mix the Dough (10 minutes): In a large bowl, combine 4 cups bread flour and 1½ cups lukewarm water. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Add Starter and Salt (5 minutes): Add ½ cup active sourdough starter and 2 teaspoons salt to the dough. Mix thoroughly with wet hands or a dough scraper until fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky.
- Bulk Fermentation and Stretch & Folds (3-4 hours): Cover the bowl loosely. Every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours, perform gentle stretch and folds to build dough strength.
- Incorporate Olives and Rosemary (5 minutes): After the second stretch & fold, gently fold in the chopped olives and rosemary evenly without crushing the olives.
- Shape the Boule (10 minutes): Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out and shape into a round boule by folding edges inward and tightening the surface. Place seam-side up into a floured proofing basket or towel-lined bowl.
- Final Proof (2-3 hours or overnight): Cover and let rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or refrigerate overnight for a slower ferment. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
- Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven (45 minutes): Place Dutch oven with lid inside oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) to get it very hot.
- Score and Bake (40-45 minutes): Transfer dough seam-side down onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp knife. Place dough with parchment into hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown and crusty.
- Cool Completely: Transfer boule to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing to allow crumb to set.
Notes
Use a bubbly, active sourdough starter fed 4-8 hours before baking for best rise. Avoid crushing olives to prevent excess oil release. Preheat Dutch oven thoroughly for a crispy crust. Cool bread completely before slicing to avoid gummy crumb. For gluten-free, use appropriate flour blends with xanthan gum. Fresh rosemary is preferred for best aroma; dried rosemary can be substituted at 1 tablespoon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximate
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 7
Keywords: sourdough bread, olive rosemary bread, rustic bread, homemade bread, crispy crust bread, artisan bread, sourdough boule