Puccia (Olive Studded Rolls)

Puccia is a traditional bread from Puglia in the heel of Italy, rustic rolls studded with olives that are meant to be split open and filled with cured meats, cheese or roasted vegetables for a proper street sandwich. The dough is loose, wet and slow to develop, which is exactly what creates that distinctive open, chewy crumb you want.

This is no quick 90-minute bread. A biga pugliese (a regional preferment made the day before with flour, water and a pinch of yeast) forms the backbone, carrying wild complexity into the finished dough. The main dough then triples over 3 to 4 hours at room temperature, slowly building structure.

Kneading wet dough by hand is the unusual part. Keep your hands genuinely wet, almost soaking, as you work, and the sticky mass transforms into something silky and extensible rather than shaggy. Fold the olives in by hand at the end so they stay whole and intact.

A hailstorm of flour over the shaped rolls before the second rise gives them that characteristic floured, rustic crust look.

Chef Tips

• Use high-quality olives with real flavor, bland canned black olives won’t give the loaves their distinctive savory notes
• Don’t skip the biga, the overnight preferment is what gives puccia its complex, wheaty flavor
• Resist punching down the risen dough, the big air pockets are what create the open crumb
• Bake on a hot pizza stone if you have one, the stored heat gives a better bottom crust
• Steam the oven by pouring water into a hot pan on the bottom rack when the bread goes in, this helps the crust crackle

Variations

• Use a mix of green and black olives for visual contrast and layered flavor
• Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes along with the olives
• Sprinkle the tops with flaky salt and rosemary before baking for a more aromatic finish