French Bread With Kalamata Olives and Thyme

The recipe calls for spraying the oven with water (Simply use a spray bottle with tap water says the recipe) because extra humidity makes the outside of the bread crusty. You can also use an oven proof skillet with about 2 cups of boiling water in it, just place it on the floor of the oven before adding the bread to bake. Makes 2 small loaves. Please note that this asks that the bread be all hand made but I used my stand mixer with the dough hook and the bread turned out great. The 40 min prep includes rising time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 2 sm loaves

Ingredients

• 1  cup  whole milk
• 2  teaspoons butter
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water, room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup  Greek yogurt
• 2  teaspoons active dry yeast (for do-ahead version) or 2  teaspoons fast-rising active dry yeast (for same-day version)
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 4 ounces pitted) or 3⁄4 cup  other  brine-cured black olives (about 4 ounces pitted)
• 1⁄2 cup sun-dried tomato
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped (or minced)
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 4  cups all-purpose flour (or more if needed)
•  olive oil
• 1  egg white, beaten to blend

Directions

1. Bring milk to simmer in small saucepan. Add butter and sugar; stir until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Add 1/2 cup room-temperature water, the Greek yogurt and cool mixture until lukewarm (85°F to 95°F), about 10 minutes.
2. Add yeast; stir to blend. Stir in olives, tomatoes, garlic, thyme and salt. Add 1 cup flour. Using wood spoon, stir until flour is incorporated. Add 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir vigorously with wood spoon until incorporated after each addition. If necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl.
3. Oil large bowl. Transfer dough to bowl; turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. For do-ahead version: Chill dough overnight. For same-day version: Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes (do not punch down dough).
4. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 500°F Oil large baking sheet. Turn dough out onto floured work surface (to avoid deflating, do not punch down dough and do not knead dough). Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Gently form (do not knead) each piece into baguette 15 inches long by 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches wide (dough will not be smooth).
5. Transfer baguettes to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes for refrigerated dough and 15 minutes for room-temperature dough.
6. Brush top of each loaf lightly with egg white. Generously spray inside of oven with water (about 8 sprays); immediately place loaves in oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and continue to bake until loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes. Cool on rack.
7. TIP:
8. Oil your hands before starting to work with the dough. It really helps.