Lovely Rustic Gluten Free Tomato and Olive Bread
This Gluten Free Tomato and Olive Bread is warm and inviting, and packs enough flavour that it's delicious all on its own! The lightest gluten free bread is dyed red with tomato paste, then studded with sun-dried tomatoes and mixed olives. This bread makes a lovely lunch, side to a bowl of soup, or addition to an antipasti plate!
This is a recipe that's been on my mind for AGES, and I'm pleased to report it tastes just as I hoped it would! The tomato-ey bread is flavourful with just a hint of sweetness, and the sun-dried tomatoes and olives give the perfect pops of flavour in each mouthful. This bread also just happens to be dairy free, egg free and vegan!
How to Make Gluten Free Tomato and Olive Bread
Mix the Dough
Mixing the dough for this bread starts off like all of my bread doughs - preparing the yeast and psyllium. Instant yeast doesn't technically need anything done to it before it goes in the dough, but mixing it with some water and sugar beforehand gives a really clear indication that the yeast is still active. The psyllium husk just needs to be mixed with the remaining water and left to form a gel; it should only take a few minutes.
The flavour in this loaf comes from a few additions. Firstly, a good amount of tomato paste is mixed in as one of the wet ingredients, giving the bread its vibrant orange hue and an amazing undercurrent of tomato flavour. Secondly, chopped sun-dried tomatoes are mixed through the dough, giving extra depth to the tomato flavour. And thirdly, a mixture of olives (or just green or black) give little pops of saltiness to round everything out. I also add a teaspoon of dried mixed herbs, which helps to bring out the sun-dried tomato flavour even more!
All of these delicious ingredients get added to the dry ingredients with the yeast and psyllium mixtures, and then the whole lot gets mixed on low speed (if you're using a mixer, or until it starts to come together and then kneaded until smooth (if you're mixing by hand). The olives will get broken up a bit, but this keeps them at an appropriate size without me having to slice them - bonus! You can see really easily if this dough is evenly mixed or not. If it needs more mixing it will still have areas of white dough visible, whereas the whole thing will be orange if it's ready to go.
First Proof
The dough needs a drizzle of olive oil over the top so it doesn't dry out during its first proof. It doesn't have to be an exact amount of oil, just a tablespoon or so to coat the surface of the dough.
Because of the high amount of tomato paste and salt olives in this dough it is relatively slow-growing. You might find it takes an extra 15 to 20 minutes on its first proof compared to my other breads. Don't worry too much, if it looks like it needs longer to double in size that's fine!
Kneading the Dough
Like all my breads, the next step for this dough is a short knead to knock all the air out of it. I know we just spent the last hour or so waiting for it to rise, but knocking the air out is important to get a nice even shape. Just a minute or two of kneading on a lightly floured surface should do it - add a little more flour if you need it to stop the dough from sticking to the surface.
Shaping the Loaf
This bread isn't the most polished-looking loaf you'll ever make, so the shaping process isn't hugely important. If you mess it up or get something a different size to my measurements it won't matter much in the end! But, I still like to start with a nice, even shape so I know what the loaf will do during proofing and baking.
To shape this loaf the first thing I do is look out for a really smooth side on the dough while I'm kneading it. If the top of your loaf has any cracks or holes in it at this stage they'll open up during proofing and baking, which isn't a disaster by any means, but it will be a bit wonky-looking. Once I have my really smooth side, I press it smooth side down onto my floured surface into a rough rectangle. Then I just fold in both the short sides to the middle, pressing them down to stick. I follow that with one of the long sides folded into the middle, and then the one remaining long side, which comes up and over the previous long side. I then pinch all the seams to hold them together. At this point, you'll have something that looks like a kind of fat sausage. It needs a few rolls back and forth on the floured surface to lengthen it a bit, until it measures about 9 x 21cm.
Second Proof
Once your loaf is shaped, it just needs to be placed on a lined tray and covered up once again. Because this is a slow-growing bread be prepared to give it extra time. I find mine takes at least 70 minutes, depending on how warm it is, but start checking it at about 50 minutes. As always you're looking for the dough to feel really light and fluffy under your fingertips. It'll go pretty flat during proofing, rather than puffing upwards. Don't worry, that adds to the rustic charm!
Baking the Loaf
Once your loaf is ready to bake, it doesn't require much TLC. I just slash it once down the length of the dough and in it goes. A preheated dish filled with a little boiling water helps to create a steamy environment in the oven, which in turn helps the bread to rise before the crust forms on the outside.
Watch How to Make Gluten Free Tomato and Olive Bread
How to Store Gluten Free Tomato and Olive Bread
This bread keeps much the same as all homemade breads. In an airtight container at room temperature it will keep for about four or five days, but it will be best toasted after about day 2. Once it's completely cool, it's great sliced and frozen for later, too.
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