Add Olives To Rustic Bread For A Burst Of Mediterranean Flavor

Imagine tearing into a still-warm loaf of freshly baked bread when suddenly you are met with an unexpected mouthful of briny goodness. Oh yes, something as simple as olives can transform ordinary rustic bread from a pretty basic carbohydrate source into something deserving of a starring place at family dinner.

To get it right, you first have to choose the best olives. Kalamata olives, those deep purple olives with an almost wine-like tang, will bring fruity, salty depth, while green Castelvetrano olives have a buttery richness to them. On the flip side, Cerignola olives are plump and fat, which will create pockets of concentrated flavor throughout your loaf. Whatever you choose — and we have a guide on everything you need to know about olives — skip the cheap canned black ones, you want the real Mediterranean stuff here.

Then, it goes without saying that you need to pit your olives before adding them (unless you want to give your dinner guests a couple chipped teeth while you're at it). Remove the stones and roughly chop your olives into chunky pieces, but don't be too precious at this stage. The key word here is rustic. And when it comes to folding the olives into your dough, timing definitely matters. If you add them too early, they could break apart during kneading, and what we want is gorgeous chunks of olive –- not an olive paste. So wait until you've finished mixing the dough before folding chopped olives gently into it.

Now, when it comes to pairing your olives with different flavors in your bread, definitely lean into the Mediterranean vibes — think Greek, Spanish, and Italian. And that means one thing: garlic. Roasted is even better, especially since you can skip the oven and roast garlic straight in a pan. Rosemary is a fantastic herby addition, since its fresh and pine-y flavor balances out olive's tang perfectly. Or, fresh thyme is another great option; a bit more subtle than rosemary but still lovely. Other fresh herbs like basil or oregano are also good shouts, just don't forget that a little goes a long way. We don't want to lose the olive as the primary flavor source.

Sun-dried tomatoes are another ingredient that always go well with olives, and you only need to give them the same rough chop treatment as the olives if you want to throw them into the mix as well. If you don't have any jars on hand, you can always use your air fryer to make sun-dried tomatoes at home. Got onions lying around? Caramelize and throw them into the dough too for an added depth pf sweetness to your loaf.

Then once the bread has been baked, all the cheese lovers will be pleased to know that topping it with crumbled feta to amplify the Greek vibes is an option as well. You could also opt for torn mozzarella shreds if you're feeling more Italian. Bonus points if you pop the cheese-topped bread slices back in the oven again to give them a little bit of a meltiness before serving.