Kalamata Olive & Rosemary Bread: The Search for a Gluten-Free Rustic Loaf

The only thing more comforting than a warm slice of home-baked bread, fresh from the oven? A warm slice of home-baked bread, fresh from the oven, that is infused with rosemary and olive oil and speckled throughout with kalamata olives!

I have been craving a hearty, rustic-style olive bread. Though this recipe did not turn out to be anywhere near as crusty or rustic as the loaves I enjoyed in my gluten-eating artisan-bread-buying days, it certainly turned out wonderfully flavorful. It has the soft, pliable, no-toasting-necessary sandwich bread texture of the Gluten-Free Multigrain Miracle Bread I posted about a few weeks ago, but with a palette of complimentary, savory flavors. Judging by the looks on the faces of the gluten eaters I fed the olive-rosemary bread to, this recipe is a success.

Try this bread with butter on it, or as an accompaniment to Southern European and Mediterranean dishes, or try it with any soup or stew. As for me, I ate the entire loaf (not at once, of course) with hummus on top because I loved how the flavors went together. It would also make a killer grilled cheese sandwich with sharp cheddar.

As for crusty, rustic-style breads - The search continues. I've yet to find a gluten-free recipe that's quite what I'm looking for, but I'll keep working on creating one in my own kitchen. I'm not sure how to describe what I think of as "rustic" bread. I suppose I think of it as heavier, drier, and less glutinous than the breads I usually make. Perhaps cutting down on the xanthan or guar gum (GF gluten replacements) would help. A satisfyingly chewy crust is another element missing from every gluten-free bread I've tasted, no matter how wonderful the taste or texture. So, my esteemed readers, go ahead and enjoy this delicious loaf - but also answer these two questions for me, while you're at it:

1) Do you have any gluten-free bread recipes that yield a "rustic" loaf with a thick or chewy crust?

2) What makes a bread rustic, anyway?

The search continues...


KALAMATA OLIVE AND ROSEMARY BREAD

1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup garbanzo flour
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp white rice flour
5 Tbsp teff flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 Tbsp flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped roughly
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 whole eggs
2 eggs, whites separated from yolks
3/4 cup water, room temperature
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Optional: Coarse sea salt crystals for crust

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Sift the flours, yeast and all other dry ingredients (except coarse sea salt) into a medium bowl. Stir in flax meal and rosemary, and combine.

Combine wet ingredients, including the two whole eggs and the two separated egg whites in a large bowl, using a hand-mixer on low or medium speed. [The two separated egg yolks should be set aside in a small bowl for later use as a glaze]. When fully combined, add kalamata olives. Slowly add dry ingredient mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until fully blended, with no lumps. Scrape the sides regularly.

Grease a 9x5" bread pan, and pour the dough into the pan. Use a spatula or knife to evenly shape the top of the loaf. Cut two diagonal slashes in the top of the loaf. Beat the two separated egg yolks that have been set aside and brush the top of the loaf very lightly with them. Optional: Sprinkle coarse sea salt crystals very sparsely to embellish the loaf.

Turn off the oven and immediately place the pan in it. Do not open the door again, if possible. Allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes. It should rise to the very top of the pan.

Increase heat to 350F and bake for approximately 40 minutes. The crust should be golden-brown. Allow to cool slightly before removing it from the pan to finish cooling. Do not slice until the bread is no longer hot.

This loaf does not need to be frozen, but if there are leftovers after a few days, place slices in airtight bags and freeze.