Whole Wheat Country Bread with Olives and Rosemary Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

• 2¼ teaspoons (.25 ounces) active dry yeast
• 1 cup (8 ounces) warm water (110° to 115°F)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons (.87 ounces) granulated sugar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely ground yellow cornmeal, divided
• 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup yellow onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, drained, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) King Arthur whole wheat flour
• 3 to 3 ½ cups (12.75 to 14.87 ounces) King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
• Olive oil, for greasing the bowl

Nothing smells and tastes more satisfying than homemade whole wheat bread, especially after all the kneading of the dough by hand!

In a large bowl, stir in the yeast, warm water and milk. Let the mixture stand in a warm, draft-free place until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, ½ cup cornmeal, butter, onion, rosemary, olives, salt, pepper, whole wheat flour and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, adding the remaining all-purpose flour as necessary to make workable dough. Place the dough in a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Knead the dough again, until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with flour if necessary to keep it from sticking.

Lightly oil a large bowl and turn the dough into it to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place, until it has doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

Gently press the dough down on a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Shape each half into a round loaf. Sprinkle a baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornmeal, and place the loaves onto it, seam side down. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again until it barely doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, position a rack in upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Bake the bread until it is well-browned and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped with your finger, about 45 minutes. Remove the bread from the baking sheet and set on a wire rack to let cool.

• 2¼ teaspoons (.25 ounces) active dry yeast
• 1 cup (8 ounces) warm water (110° to 115°F)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons (.87 ounces) granulated sugar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely ground yellow cornmeal, divided
• 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup yellow onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, drained, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) King Arthur whole wheat flour
• 3 to 3 ½ cups (12.75 to 14.87 ounces) King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
• Olive oil, for greasing the bowl

Nothing smells and tastes more satisfying than homemade whole wheat bread, especially after all the kneading of the dough by hand!

In a large bowl, stir in the yeast, warm water and milk. Let the mixture stand in a warm, draft-free place until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, ½ cup cornmeal, butter, onion, rosemary, olives, salt, pepper, whole wheat flour and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, adding the remaining all-purpose flour as necessary to make workable dough. Place the dough in a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Knead the dough again, until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with flour if necessary to keep it from sticking.

Lightly oil a large bowl and turn the dough into it to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place, until it has doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

Gently press the dough down on a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Shape each half into a round loaf. Sprinkle a baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornmeal, and place the loaves onto it, seam side down. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again until it barely doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, position a rack in upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Bake the bread until it is well-browned and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped with your finger, about 45 minutes. Remove the bread from the baking sheet and set on a wire rack to let cool.

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