Sourdough Olive Bread Sticks

Don’t worry you can make this without sourdough discard too, see the option in the recipe! Since I’m a sourdough baker I love finding new ways to use up my sourdough discard. If you’re unfamiliar with sourdough, basically each time you want to bake with your sourdough starter it must be fed and there is a remnant amount of sourdough called discard that has many uses from crackers to other types of bread that do not require ‘ripe’ starter.

Ingredients

2. 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp fast acting dry yeast (if you’re not using sourdough then up this to 1 1/4 tsp)

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbl olive oil

1 cup of water (if not using sourdough then up this to 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup of sourdough discard (omit if not using sourdough)

1-2 tsp dried oregano to your liking

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

3-4 cups pitted olives (any kind will work, I prefer green or kalamata)

You need about 3.5 hours to complete this recipe so plan ahead!

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment add all dry ingredients. With the mixer on the lowest setting drizzle in the olive oil and then the water and increase the speed of the mixer to the next setting and continue to mix stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated and continue to mix for 10min or so. The dough will likely be very wet, this is normal.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and Add the olives (you want enough olives so there appears to be equal parts olives to dough so don’t be afraid to use a ton!) mix carefully and thoroughly until well incorporated. Prepare a large mixing bowl by drizzling olive oil and making sure the inside of the bowl is well coated, then pour your dough into the oiled bowl and cover and let rise for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 410 degrees and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare a work surface with an ample amount of flour and turn the dough onto the work surface( the dough will likely still be very wet, don’t fret it will be fine!) , let the dough rest 10 min before cutting. Carefully work it into a large 1/2”-3/4” thick rectangle shape. Use a pizza cutter or large knife to slice the dough into long 1” wide sticks approx 5-6” long. Using a bench scraper or wide flat spatula like you would use to flip pancakes, coat your hands, the top of the dough and the scraper with flour and use the scraper to coax each length of dough onto the scraper and slide them onto the parchment, you can always use your hands to stretch them back out or reshape them once they are on the parchment.

Bake approx 25 min or until your desired touch of brown, I like mine a bit soft so I wait until the bottoms are browned and then I pull them out! Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy! these are best freshly baked but will store 1-2 days in a zip lock or they can be frozen!