Boule aux Olives

From our friends at L’Appartement 4F in Brooklyn, this Boule aux Olives captures the magic of traditional French breadmaking. Studded with briny olives and naturally leavened sourdough starter, this rustic boule has a crisp, deeply caramelized crust and an airy, tender crumb. Baked in the Signature Oval Bread Oven, it develops exceptional structure and color, while the olives create pockets of savory richness throughout. Slice it thick for a cheese board, serve alongside a simple salad, or enjoy it warm with salted butter. It’s the kind of loaf that turns any table into a moment.

335 g all purpose flour (about 2 ¾ cups)

40 g whole wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)

3 g vital wheat gluten (about 1 teaspoon)

300 g water (about 1 ¼ cups)

60 g active sourdough starter (about ¼ cup)

9 g salt (about 1 ½ teaspoons)

150 g olives, pitted and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)

In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten and water. Mix with your hands or a Danish dough hook. Let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Add the sourdough starter and mix until incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Add in the salt and mix again until incorporated. Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes.

Add the chopped olives. Using the stretch-and-fold method, gently pull one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you’ve worked your way around the bowl (about 4 folds total). Cover and let rest for 1 hour. Repeat the stretch-and-fold process two more times (for a total of three rounds), resting 1 hour between each round.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper, shape it into a round ball by gently tucking the edges underneath to create surface tension. The dough should hold its shape and not stick to your fingers.

Line a medium bowl with a linen towel and generously dust with flour. Using a bench scraper, quickly and carefully invert the dough into the prepared proofing basket, seam side up. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Place the lid of your bread oven inside and preheat for 45 minutes. Do not use the convection setting.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and carefully invert it onto a lightly floured surface so the smooth side is facing up. Flour your hands and gently shape the ball into an oval.

Transfer the dough to the bread oven base. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, score the top lengthwise. Cover with the lid and return to the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for another 25 minutes, until deep golden brown.

Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.