Cooking Instructions
1.
Warm the
Water (3 cups)
just a little so that it feels just slightly warmer than body temperature. That should put it at about 100 degrees F (40 degrees C) or slightly below.
2.
In a very large bowl or a 6-quart container with a lid, mix the
Active Dry Yeast (1 Tbsp)
and
Kosher Salt (1 Tbsp)
with the warm water.
3.
Add the
All-Purpose Flour (6 1/2 cups)
to the water mixture all at once, then use a spoon or dough whisk to mix until the flour is completely incorporated and you have a lumpy dough.
4.
Loosely cover the container and let the dough hang out at room temperature until it begins to rise considerably. It will collapse or flatten a little on the top in about 2 hours.
5.
Grab that refrigerated container of prepared dough and sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Pull up and cut off a piece of dough weighing about 16 oz.
6.
Using your hands and a rolling pin, flatten the dough to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Cover the surface with the
Kalamata Olives (1/4 cup)
and roll up to seal the dough.
7.
Crimp the ends shut and tuck them under to form a round or oval loaf.
8.
Cover with an overturned bowl or plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 90 minutes on parchment paper.
9.
Preheat a lidded Dutch oven for 45 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
10.
Using a fork, blend
Corn Starch (1/2 tsp)
with a small amount of water to form a paste. Add
Water (1/2 cup)
and whisk with a fork. Boil until the mixture appears glassy.
11.
Paint the surface of the loaf with a cornstarch wash or water. Then cut through the top layer using a serrated bread knife, making three or four 1/2-inch deep slashes.
12.
Carefully remove the hot lid and place it on a rack nearby. Use the piece of parchment paper as handles and carefully lower the formed dough-topped parchment paper into the preheated pot. Cautiously grab that hot lid and cover the Dutch oven to trap the heat and steam within.
13.
Bake the bread for a total of 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is browned to your liking and is firm to the touch.
14.
Remove the lid after the first 20-25 minutes and continue to bake uncovered until the crust is richly browned.
15.
Allow the bread to fully cool on a wire rack for up to 2 hours for the best flavor, texture, and ease of slicing. Enjoy!
