Seelen mit Oliven (Swabian olive rolls)

Method

1. Combine the flour, yeast and water into a rough, very wet dough. Mix briefly, then cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Add the salt and mix in with wet hands, using a stretch-and-fold motion, for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Cover and let rise for 6 to 8 hours at room temperature, or overnight in a cooler spot, folding the dough over itself gently once or twice during the first hour.
4. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Gently fold in the chopped olives without deflating the dough too much.
5. Divide into 8 pieces using a dough scraper, handling gently. Shape each into a long, slender roll by stretching rather than kneading. Transfer to a floured baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle with coarse salt and caraway seeds if using. Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 230°C (fan). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the internal temperature reads at least 96°C.

Notes

• This dough is meant to be very wet, wetter than feels manageable. That high hydration and long, slow ferment are exactly what create the characteristic open, irregular crumb and chewy crust of a proper Seele; a stiffer dough gives a tighter, denser result.
• Shape with a dough scraper and floured hands, not kneading. The goal at this stage is to preserve the air structure built up over the long rise, not develop more structure through vigorous handling.
• Fold the olives in gently. Overworking the dough at this point knocks out the air that took hours to build.
• They’re best eaten the day they’re baked; day-old Seelen are good toasted or used for open-faced sandwiches.

Ingredient substitutions

• This bread doesn’t take well to substitutions in the dough itself; the wet ratio is what defines it.
• Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, can join or replace the olives.
• A little rosemary folded in with the olives is a nice addition.