Greekolivebread Recipes

GREEK OLIVE AND ONION BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup of warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and the onions. Cook and stir for 3 minutes, or until onions are soft. Remove the onions from heat and reserve.
• Combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, dill, garlic powder, olives, and cooked onions in a large bowl and mix well. Add the yeast mixture and the remaining 1 3/4 cup water. Mix well until the ingredients have pulled together and have formed a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Lightly grease two baking sheets. Deflate the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a knife to divide the dough into two equal pieces-don't tear it. Shape into dough into round loaves, and place the loaves into the prepared pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Bake loaves in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing.

NO-KNEAD, EASY GREEK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a glass measure and stir in the yeast until it dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a larger bowl, mix the flour and the salt and then add the milk and the yeast, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate. At this point, the dough will still be sticky - do not add more flour. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook.
• Cover the bowl with a towel, place it in a warm spot and let it rise for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F. Place a 12" cast iron skillet in the oven until it is very hot.
• Add the extra virgin olive oil, the chopped olives and the oregano to the bread dough and mix well with a spatula, folding over the dough and scrapping the sides of the bowl, until well incorporated.
• Carefully remove from the oven the hot pan, line it with a piece of parchment paper and immediately add the dough, spreading and smoothing the top with a spatula.
• Transfer the hot pan to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until it is golden brown on the top and the bottom.
• Remove from the oven and let the bread cool a bit in the pan. Lift the bread from the parchment paper and lace on a wire rack to cool.

MEDITERRANEAN BLACK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, black olives, olive oil, and water.
• Turn out dough onto a floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside, and let rise about 45 minutes, until it doubles in size. Punch down. Knead well again, for about 5 to 10 minutes. Let rise for about 30 minutes, until it doubles in size.
• Round the dough on kneading board. Place upside down in a bowl lined with a lint-free, well floured towel. Let rise until double in size.
• While the bread is rising for the third time, put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Gently turn loaf out onto a sheet pan that has been lightly oiled and dusted with cornmeal.
• Bake loaf at 500 degrees F (260 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake for 30 more minutes, or until done.

OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast together in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Tear olives with your fingers (you can chop them up, if you'd prefer to) and add to the dough and mix well. Using your finger, make a dip in the dough and pour in the water and oil.
• Mix with a fork until its sticky. Lightly sieve the worktop with flour, and knead the dough on the table. Put back into the bowl, cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for 45-60 mins.
• Preheat oven at 210ºC Fan/ 230ºC/Gas 8
• Tear the dough into 8 small balls, put in a lined baking tray and grase the dough balls.
• Cook for 10 mins, until ready.

GREEK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over water in a large bowl.
• Let stand until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in milk, sugar, salt and 4 t. of the oil.
• Add 1C flour; mix to blend.
• Stir in 1 1/2C more flour and beat until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in 1/2C more flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn onto floured surface.
• Knead until dough is smooth and develops small bubbles just under the surface, about 15 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
• Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and pat into a 1/2-inch circle.
• Sprinkle with olives and cheese.
• Knead and fold lightly into dough, then shape into a ball.
• Pat out to an 8-inch circle.
• Place on greased baking sheet.
• With a 3 to 4 - inch cutter or empty tuna can, cut a circle in center, leaving round of dough in place.
• Brush dough with remaining 2 t. oil.
• Let rise until puffy, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Brush with egg yolk mixture.
• Bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes until crust is a rich golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
• Cool on a rack before slicing.
• Enjoy!

GREEK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl stir 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt together.
• Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the 2 tablespoons olive oil and the water.
• Stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle a work surface with flour.
• Scrape dough out onto the floured surface.
• Dust the top of the dough with flour.
• Knead until the dough is smooth and develops small bubbles just under the surface, about 5 minutes, adding more flour if the dough gets sticky.
• Place in a clean, greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and pat it into a ½ inch thick circle.
• Sprinkle with the olives and cheese.
• Knead the dough lightly to incorporate the ingredients, then shape into a ball.
• Pat out to make a circle 8 inches in diameter.
• Place on a greased baking sheet.
• With a 3-inch round cutter, cut a circle in the center but leave the round of dough in place.
• (You can bake the removed center alongside the bread; it will probably cook faster than the circular loaf.) Brush the dough with the 2 teaspoons of oil.
• Cover and let rise until puffy, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the crust is a rich golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
• Cool the bread on a wire rack before slicing.
• Makes 1 round loaf.
• Beatrice Ojakangas Baking Book.

GREEK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, 4 tablespoons oil, sugar, salt and 1-1/2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Sprinkle with cheese and olives; fold and knead lightly until combined. Shape into an 8-in. round loaf. Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with remaining oil. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes., With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across top of loaf. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool.