Mediterranean Olive Bread

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (i use an individual size packet which i think is a tbsp.)
• 3/4 cup warm water (not boiling, just abot 110 degrees or you'll kill the yeast)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (room temp.)
• 4 large eggs
• 5 cups all-purpose flour (approximately, can be slightly less (or more)
• 1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives (can use any size)
• 1 cup black olives
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 -3 garlic cloves (sliced or chopped, roasted or regular) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 combine yeast and warm water in small bowl and let stand about 5 minutes.
• 2 in large mixer bowl, beat sugar and butter until blended. add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, then finally stir in yeast mixture.
• 3 add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and beat at medium speed for 10 minutes stir in 1 1/2 cups more flour just till moistened. scrape dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour to prevent sticking , until dough is smooth (about 7 mins.). put dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn over to grease the top.
• 4 cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours (i find my oven, even when turned off, is the warmest place in my house).
• 5 drain olives well, then pat dry.
• 6 turn dough out on a lightly floured board and knead to expel air; add flour to prevent sticking. pat dough into a 14-16 inch square. scatter olives eenly over the dough and press in lightly. (optional, at this point i also like to add my garlic and scatter it between the olives).
• 7 roll up dough to enclose olives and place seam side down on a greased 12x15 inch baking sheet. turn open ends of dough under to make a smooth surface. pat loaf to flatten and shape it into an oval about 1 3/4 inches thick. cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes.
• 8 uncover loaf and brush with egg yolk. bake in a 325 degree fahrenheit oven that's been preheated, baking about 45 minutes transfer to rack to cool for at least 10 minutes serve warm or at room temperature.
• 9 if made ahead, let cool, package airtight, and let stand overnight at room temperature freeze to store longer; let thaw, wrapped, at least 6 hours. to reheat, place unwrapped loaf on a 12x15 inch pan in a 325 degree oven for 20-30 minutes
• 10 (the original recipe also recommended using either unsalted butter or "anchovy butter [food process 5 drained anchovy fillets with 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and it can be stored covered and chilled for up to a week] but i don't use it since my children would refuse anything with anchovies.).