My partner/official-food-tester is coeliac, and while at a recent family dinner he happened to mention that one thing he really misses is olive bread - so I decided to make a gluten-free version as a nice surprise for him!

The first time I made it, I bought a gluten-free plain bread mix, to which I added fresh rosemary and olives. These pre-bought mixes can be pricey, so I studied the ingredients on the packet and found it to be easy enough to reproduce. Nothing beats homemade bread, and it’s a lot easier to make than you might think!

I already had gluten-free flour, xanthan gum and a few basics on hand; eggs in the fridge and fresh rosemary from the garden, so I was well-stocked to make my own.

After researching recipes on the internet and then testing a couple, I was ready to make my own simple version. I like to make as little mess in the kitchen as possible, and attempt to minimize my use of kitchen bits and pieces to save washing up, so to me, simple equals good.

I made my bread in a kitchenaid stand-mixer with a dough hook. If you're making this by hand, use a large bowl and fold with a spatula. Add a little more flour or water if your mixture needs it to get the right consistency, don’t be scared to experiment; you can add whatever ingredient you like!

OLIVE & ROSEMARY BREAD (Gluten Free)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups gluten free plain flour
1 packet gluten free active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
1 tsp. honey or sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. cider vinegar
2 eggs, room temp
1 cup kalamata olives, pips removed
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
Splash of olive oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 190 C. Pop a splash of olive oil on baking paper and line a baking tray or loaf tin. Or oil and flour your pizza stone.
Combine yeast, warm water and honey in a bowl, stir and set aside.
In a bowl of your stand mixer combine flour, salt, xanthan gum. Add yeast mix, vinegar, eggs, olives and rosemary and mix until it comes together using your dough hook. Empty contents into your tin, or onto your pizza stone, smooth the surface a little and cover with cling wrap or a clean tea towel, and leave it in a warm place for 30-35 minutes.
After dough has risen, bake for 60-70 minutes at 190 C, depending on your oven. After 50-60 minutes tap the bottom of the bread with your finger and it should sound hallow, or like a deep drum when it is ready.
Cool on a wire rack or cut it up warm and enjoy!