Spicy Sesame Yeast Loaf

Ingredients

• 0.5 bunch thyme
• 0.5 bunch rosemary
• 50 g black olives (pitted)
• 750 g flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 420 ml milk (1.5% fat)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 30 g fresh yeast
• 50 ml olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash and dry thyme and rosemary; remove leaves or needles. Roughly chop rosemary and olives.

2. 2.

   Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.

3. 3.

   Warm milk gently in a small pot. Transfer 5 tbsp to a small bowl and set aside. Stir sugar into the remaining milk and crumble yeast into it.

4. 4.

   Pour the yeast‑milk mixture over the flour and add olive oil. Knead with hand mixer attachments until smooth and elastic.

5. 5.

   Fold in herbs and olives. Cover dough with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in volume.

6. 6.

   Lightly flour a work surface, place dough on it, and knead briefly by hand (toss hands lightly with flour if needed). Divide dough into three equal pieces; shape each into a ~30 cm long roll and lay rolls side by side.

7. 7.

   Braid the rolls together, press ends slightly together. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the braid on it, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes. In the meantime, separate egg: whisk yolk into milk (reserve whites for another use).

8. 8.

   Brush the braid with half of the egg‑milk mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan, gas mark 3) on the second rack from bottom for 60 minutes; after 45 minutes brush remaining egg‑milk and sprinkle sesame seeds. Cool the loaf on a wire rack.