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Transfer to a rack to cool before slicing.

Ah, rustic bread – I love you so. Nothing beats having some freshly baked rustic bread to dip in a warm comforting homemade soup.

Just over three weeks ago I attended a class at Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store in Langley, BC and was taught how to bake a great gluten-free rustic bread. The course was “Wheat Free Gluten Free with Pastry Chef Tina Bacon”. Gluten-Free, oh my! I must admit that was pessimistic because I have tried many gluten-free breads from either Whole Foods, Donald’s Market or other specialty bakeries, and most seemed very hard, stale and heavy. All to be thrown in the garbage after reaching mid-loaf.

But this recipe has turned me into an optimist with regards to gluten-free breads! I also tried this recipe this past weekend with sun-dried tomatoes and oregano (instead of olives) and my girl friend Char has given it thumbs up!

The Verdict Of Crusty Gluten-Free Bread?
I love cooking but not normally into baking per se. But I am positive that I will make this rustic gluten-free bread in future and with different flavors, herbs / and or spice to go with my soup of the day. This bread recipe is not hard and heavy. It comes out especially nice right out of the oven! Also, I love the fact that you can make the bread dough and keep it in the fridge for 7 days and bake it when needed!

I decided to take Tina Bacon’s recipe and add chopped walnut stuffed olives into the dough and call it Crusty Olive Almond Gluten-Free Bread.

Ingredients For Crusty Olive Almond Gluten-Free Bread:

• 2 cups brown rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
• 3 cups tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons xanthan gum
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2-2/3 cups lukewarm water
• 12 almond stuffed large olives, chopped

Instructions Crusty Olive Almond Gluten-Free Bread:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients until thoroughly combined.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and honey. Whisk in warm water that is approx 110°F –  120°F.
3. With a wooden spoon gradually add flour, stirring after each addition.
4. Stir in chopped almond stuffed olives.
5. Loosely cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest about 2 hours on counter.
6. Wrap bowl airtight and refrigerate minimum 2 hours and up to 7 days.
7. When ready to bake a loaf, line a pizza pan or baking sheet with parchment. Cut off about 1/4 of the dough and with wet hands quickly shape into an oval.
8. Place on the prepared pan and smooth surface with your fingers.
9. Loosely cover with plastic and allow to rest 90 minutes. It won’t rise much.
10. After one hour of resting preheat oven to 450F.
11. Just before baking use a sharp knife to cut 1/4″ deep slashes diagonally across loaf.
12. Slide loaf with parchment onto the oven rack and bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown and firm.
13. Transfer to a rack to cool before slicing.
14. Serve with a nice bowl of soup! (BTW – Tomato soup will go well with this Olive Almond Rustic Bread.)

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