Rustic Greek Olive Bread Recipes

EASY RUSTIC OLIVE BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the first six ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a spatula to roughly combine the ingredients. Let rest for 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
• Fold in the olives. Attach the dough hook and knead on medium for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in a bit more flour as needed if the dough won't release from the sides of the bowl.
• Transfer the kneaded dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place.
• Punch the dough down, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to shape it into a loaf. Allow to rise for another 60 minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place a second baking sheet on the bottom rack. Dust the loaf with flour and use a serrated knife to make three shallow cuts across the top.
• Place the baking sheet containing the dough on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Toss a half cup of water onto the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack and close the door. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

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.

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.

KALAMATA OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• To create the starter, combine the water and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cover with a cloth and ferment the starter at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• For the dough, combine the water, honey and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the shortening, flour, salt, starter and olives. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. Divide the dough into 2 pieces weighing about 22 ounces each. Set aside any remaining dough and freeze for future use. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
• Form the dough into loaves and place them on the counter or in a proofing basket. Cover the loaves with a warm, damp cloth and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200 degrees.
• Remove the bread from the oven and place it on the cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.

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!

KALAMATA OLIVE AND GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. To proof yeast, stir in yeast and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes in a warm place.
• Preheat oven to 105 degree F (40 degrees C). Warm an oven-safe bowl in the oven.
• Place flour in bowl of food processor. Add salt and pulse for a few seconds.
• Start food processor. Pour proofed yeast into flour through hole. Immediately add the additional 3/4 cup warm water, then the olive oil. Process for about 1 minute or until dough ball cleans the sides of the processor bowl. If dough is too wet add a little flour through the top while processing, or if too dry, add a little more water.
• Turn off food processor. Remove lid and transfer dough to the heated bowl. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap.
• Let rise for a half hour in a warm place, like the lukewarm oven.
• In a small bowl, combine minced garlic and chopped olives. Set aside.
• Once dough has risen, transfer dough to a lightly floured board. Make an indentation in the dough and place olive mixture inside. Knead dough 10 times. Bulk of mixture should remain in middle of dough. Form dough into a log or round loaf shape.
• Grease a pie pan (for a round loaf) or a baking sheet (for a log) and dust with cornmeal. Place loaf on prepared pan, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake bread in preheated oven until browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.