Recipe found in ‘Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day’
2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup high-quality olives, pitted and halved
cornmeal
cornstarch wash (see directions below)
Ingredients for Cornstarch Wash
Using a fork, blend 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount of water to form a paste. Add 1/2 cup water and whisk with the fork. Microwave or boil until mixture appears glassy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high. It will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks; discard if it has an off smell.
Directions
1. Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded food container.
2. Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you are not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.
5. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a grapefruit-size piece. Using your hands and a rolling pin, flatten the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cover with olives and roll up to seal inside the dough.
6. Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
7. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 1 hour.
8. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising bread.
9. Just before baking, paint the surface of the loaf with the cornstarch wash, slash a cross, “scallop”, or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife.
10. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top crust is deeply browned and very firm.
11. Allow to cool on a rack before slicing or eating.
