1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped, plus a few leaves for sprinkling
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus a few leaves for sprinkling
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
⅓ cup black olives, finely chopped, plus 12 whole pitted olives for topping
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved and wait until the mixture foams up.
In a large bowl, mix both flours, kosher salt, rosemary and thyme. Add the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and stir until a soft dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place dough in a bowl and brush dough surface with a little water. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Working very gently, knead chopped olives into the dough. Oil a 15-by-10-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, or use parchment paper to line baking sheet. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil onto your fingertips. Place the dough in the baking sheet and use your fingertips to stretch the dough so it covers the bottom of the baking sheet. Let it rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Once dough has risen in the pan, brush loaf with 1 tablespoon olive oil and insert whole pitted olives. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary, thyme, Parmesan cheese and sea salt.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve warm. Serves 12.
Romina Barritta, DTR, is a dietitian based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She runs GlobalDietitians.com, a networking site for food and nutrition professionals from around the world. She is Board member of the International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (IAAND). Follow her on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
