All-In-One Niçoise Bread

Submitted by English_Rose

"Save on cutlery with this all-in-one tuna niçoise, which has tuna, egg and olives folded into the bread dough - a great one for the picnic hamper. Time does not include proving."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 16
• Yields: 1 large loaf

ingredients

• For the Nicoise mix

• 8 quail eggs
• 3 1⁄2 ounces green beans, halved
• 1 (7 ounce) can tuna
• 3 1⁄2 ounces whole green olives, pitted
• 3 artichoke hearts, chopped into eight wedges
• chopped parsley
• 2 large beef tomatoes, seeds removed and roughly chopped

• For the bread

• 1 1⁄2 lbs unbleached white flour
• 1 ounce fresh yeast
• 5⁄8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt

• For the vinaigrette

• 3⁄8 cup olive oil
• 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch black peppercorns

directions

1. Cook the quail's eggs in a pan of simmering water for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water. Peel the eggs.
2. Tip the green beans into a pan of boiling, salted water and cook for 2 minutes, before transferring to iced water; drain well.
3. In a large bowl, combine the tuna, olives, green beans, artichoke hearts, quail's eggs, parsley and tomatoes.
4. Place 1lb of the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
5. Dissolve the yeast in 1 3/8 cups water and pour the water and yeast into the flour.
6. Using your hands, knead the mixture for 5 minutes, until elastic in texture.
7. Fold the niçoise mix into the dough. Cover the bowl with a damp tea-towel and leave to rest for 4 hours - during this time the dough will rise spectacularly.
8. Knock back the dough, adding the olive oil and salt. Gradually add the rest of the flour and knead to a soft sticky dough. Cover the dough once again with the tea towel and leave for another hour. During this time the dough will rise to double its size.
9. Preheat the oven to 425°F
10. Bake the loaf for 35 minutes, until golden and well-risen. Once baked, place on a wire rack to cool.
11. For the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a jam jar and shake vigorously. Serve the bread with the vinaigrette.