I’ve made this bread 3 times and am finally getting it right.  This recipe is super straight forward.  Make sure all your ingredients are fresh, especially the yeast. Seriously, the smell of this homemade bread just makes you happy to be alive!  

This recipe is from an amazing cooking/baking teacher, Carol Cotner Thompson. Please check out her fantastic blog http://carolcotnerthompson.blogspot.com/ for more recipes.

Rosemary Olive Bread

3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted 

-  put yeast into a bowl with warm water until dissolved (about 5 minutes)
-  add egg, olive oil, sugar, rosemary, and olives to yeast mixture; mix gently with           spoon
-  add flour 1/2 a cup at a time and mix until smooth and can be worked on a flat surface
-  knead, continuing to add flour (you may use more or less of the 3 cups; dough should feel “tacky” but not “gooey”); knead about 8-12 minutes
-  place dough in a bowl lightly greased with olive oil; cover and place in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes
-  gently punch dough down and knead a few times; place back in bowl and let rise again for 30 minutes
-  place dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment, cover loosely with a towel and let rise a final time for 30 minutes
-  slash a 1/2 inch deep line in the top of the bread dough
-  bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes