Breadmaker Italian Olive, Tomato and Rosemary Meal Loaf

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (195 ml) lukewarm water, 80–90°F (27–32°C)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for the finished loaf
• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) Polselli Classica 00 Flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon instant or bread-machine yeast
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup (45 g) pitted Kalamata olives, thoroughly drained and chopped
• 1/3 cup (45 g) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thoroughly drained, blotted dry and chopped

Instructions

1. Fit the breadmaker pan with its kneading paddle. Add the lukewarm water and 2 tablespoons olive oil, then cover the liquid evenly with the Polselli 00 flour. Place the sugar, sea salt and yeast in separate corners so the salt does not sit directly against the yeast before mixing begins.
2. Select the 1-pound Basic or White Bread cycle with a medium crust; the complete cycle will usually run about 3 hours. Start the machine and inspect the dough after 5 minutes of kneading. It should form a soft, smooth ball that clears most of the pan but remains slightly tacky. If it smears like batter, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time; if it looks dry or knocks hard against the pan, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.
3. At the machine’s add-in signal, add the rosemary, oregano, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. These ingredients must be well drained and blotted—the flavor should be lush and concentrated, not leaking oil and brine into that beautiful dough. If the machine has no signal, add them during the final 3 minutes of the initial kneading stage.
4. Allow the breadmaker to complete its kneading, rising and baking cycle without opening the lid during the final rise. At the end, the loaf should be deeply golden and register 190–200°F (88–93°C) in the center on an instant-read thermometer. If it is below 190°F, use the machine’s Bake Only setting in 5-minute increments.
5. Remove the pan with oven mitts, turn out the loaf immediately and carefully remove the paddle if it remains inside. Brush the hot crust with the remaining 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, letting its grassy perfume bloom against the rosemary.
6. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting so the moist, olive-studded crumb can settle. Slice thickly and serve as the main event while the herbs are still fragrant and the crust is proud—DUNZO!