Back in May, I was browsing the website for Breadtopia, one of my primary suppliers for bread making, and I came across a recipe of theirs for a sourdough bread with olives and walnuts. Since it had been several years since I last made a similar loaf from the Tartine cookbook, I saved a copy of the recipe, thinking I might try it out this summer. I especially liked the idea that the recipe called for a good amount of Spelt flour, since my baking experiences with that grain have been very positive.

Yesterday was the day for me to make the dough. My starter was in good shape, since I’ve been feeding it regularly since my last sourdough on August 6th, so I measured out and milled 250 grams of sprouted spelt berries and proceeded to make the dough mixture, as written. The gluten development regimen specified in the recipe called for one new technique for me — laminating the dough for inserting the toppings (olives, toasted walnuts, and thyme). For those readers who may want to learn about that technique, I have included the Breadtopia video from their website.

https://videopress.com/v/yVX02OJ9?resizeToParent=1&cover=1&autoPlay=0&controls=1&loop=0&muted=0&persistVolume=1&playsinline=0&preloadContent=metadata&sbc&sbpc&sblc&useAverageColor=1

The dough was placed in its banneton late yesterday afternoon, and it was refrigerated for 12 hours overnight. At 7 AM this morning I took it out of the refrigerator, and preheated the oven. This dough was stickier than the ones I normally make for sourdoughs, and it was sticking to the banneton. Fortunately, with some gentle prying by hand and shaking the basket, I was able to free the dough, to drop it on a square of parchment paper, score the bread, and place it in the Breadpot successfully.

The loaf baked out nicely as prescribed, and it needed 3-4 extra minutes, uncovered on the oven, to reach the target internal temperature of 205º F. The hardest part of the process was waiting for several hours for the loaf to cool completely, so I could slice it and eat it for lunch. By noon it was ready. I cut and toasted a few slices, topped with the best Italian sweet butter plus thinly-sliced Tuscan prosciutto, and accompanied by a glass of our son’s best Sangiovese, made from Cimarron Vineyard Arizona grapes in 2017. Mmmmmm. Great lunch!