Gluten-free olive bread with rosemary

Gluten-free olive bread with rosemary: a savoury loaf made with almond flour, chestnut flour, Kalamata olives and eggs – aromatic, moist and wheat-free.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 50 min
• Total time: 65 min
• Calories: 150 kcal per serving
• Protein: 7 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbs: 9 g

Ingredients

• 3 organic eggs
• 100g almond flour & 50g chestnut flour
• 1 jar of black Kalamata olives
• 3 tbsp psyllium husk
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (needles)
• 1 tsp sea salt & 1 sachet of cream of tartar baking powder

Method

You’ll need: oven · loaf tin · baking tray · chopping board · knife · mixing bowl · sieve

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan) and line a loaf tin or small tray with baking paper, or grease it lightly with olive oil.
2. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the almond flour, chestnut flour, psyllium husk, sea salt and cream of tartar baking powder and stir into an even dough.
3. Drain the Kalamata olives, roughly chop them if needed and fold them into the dough with the finely chopped rosemary.
4. Put the dough in the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake at 180 °C for 45–50 min until the bread is golden brown and feels slightly firm on top.
5. Take the bread out of the oven and let it rest briefly in the tin. Then leave it to cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Slice to serve, and enjoy it as it is, with a little olive oil, or with cheese, salad and antipasti.

Good to know

This bread is savoury, moist and pleasantly rustic. The crumb stays tender and the crust gets character. For me, one of those recipes that makes the kitchen smell wonderful without much effort.

Swaps

Chestnut flour → chickpea flour (more protein, more savoury, binds well) Cream of tartar baking powder → bicarbonate of soda + 1 tsp lemon juice (simpler ingredient list, also helps it rise)

Allergens

Contains eggs and almonds, so not suitable for people with an egg or tree nut allergy. Usually well suited to children if the olive pieces are cut small; during pregnancy, pasteurised eggs or well-baked bread are the safe choice.

Frequently asked questions

What's in almond flour, nutritionally?

Almond flour mainly provides unsaturated fats, fibre, vitamin E, magnesium and manganese. The nutrition values can vary a little between brands, especially the fat content.

What kind of fat do Kalamata olives contain?

They mainly contain monounsaturated fat, especially oleic acid. They also have smaller amounts of vitamin E and polyphenols, but the salt content can be quite high depending on the brine.

Why is psyllium husk interesting in bread?

Psyllium husk is mostly soluble fibre and binds a lot of water. That changes the dough structure and clearly raises the fibre content.

What does rosemary bring besides flavour?

Rosemary contains essential oils and phenolic plant compounds such as rosmarinic acid. In the bread, it's mainly there for its resinous aroma.

Is chestnut flour a good alternative to regular flour?

It's naturally gluten-free and a good alternative to wheat flour for many people. As it brings carbs and fibre, people still experience it differently.

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