Mediterranean Olive Bread Recipes

BLACK OLIVE AND MEDITERRANEAN SPICE BREAD

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. Add flour, black olives, olive oil, garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning to the bowl; mix well to form a dough.
• Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. Let stand until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down gently and knead, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let rise until doubled in volume again, about 45 minutes.
• Line a bowl with a well-floured cloth. Form dough into a ball and place upside down in the bowl. Let rise until doubled in volume again, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Fill a baking dish with water and place it in the bottom of your oven.
• Grease a baking sheet with 1 teaspoon butter and sprinkle cornmeal on top. Turn dough out gently onto the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffy, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until bread is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Brush remaining 2 teaspoons butter over the surface. Let cool slightly before slicing, about 15 minutes.

MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• Combine yeast and warm water in small bowl and let stand about 5 minutes.
• In large mixer bowl, beat sugar and butter until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, then finally stir in yeast mixture.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and beat at medium speed for 10 minutes Stir in 1 1/2 cups more flour just till moistened. Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour to prevent sticking , until dough is smooth (about 7 mins.). Put dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn over to grease the top.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours (I find my oven, even when turned off, is the warmest place in my house).
• Drain olives well, then pat dry.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and knead to expel air; add flour to prevent sticking. Pat dough into a 14-16 inch square. Scatter olives eenly over the dough and press in lightly. (Optional, at this point I also like to add my garlic and scatter it between the olives).
• Roll up dough to enclose olives and place seam side down on a greased 12x15 inch baking sheet. Turn open ends of dough under to make a smooth surface. Pat loaf to flatten and shape it into an oval about 1 3/4 inches thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes.
• Uncover loaf and brush with egg yolk. Bake in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven that's been preheated, baking about 45 minutes Transfer to rack to cool for at least 10 minutes Serve warm or at room temperature.
• If made ahead, let cool, package airtight, and let stand overnight at room temperature Freeze to store longer; let thaw, wrapped, at least 6 hours. To reheat, place unwrapped loaf on a 12x15 inch pan in a 325 degree oven for 20-30 minutes
• (The original recipe also recommended using either unsalted butter or "Anchovy Butter [food process 5 drained anchovy fillets with 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and it can be stored covered and chilled for up to a week] but I don't use it since my children would refuse anything with Anchovies.).

MEDITERRANEAN BLACK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, garlic powder, italian seasoning, black olives, olive oil, and water.
• Turn out dough on a floured board.
• Knead until smooth- about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Let rise about 45 minutes, until it doubles in size and punch down.
• Knead for another 5 to 10 minutes an let rise for 30 minutes, until it doubles in size.
• Round the dough on kneading board.
• Place dough 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 450 degrees.
• Gently turn loaf out onto a sheet pan that has been lightly oiled and dusted with cornmeal.
• Bake loaf at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 30 more minutes, or until done.

MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• 1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add yeast, water and honey. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes. Start the oven at 350ºF for 1 ½ to 2 minutes and then shut it off. It will be the best warm and draft-free spot to place the dough to rise later.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine bread flour, rosemary, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper and sea salt; whisk until well blended and set aside.
• 3. Back to the stand mixer; add oil and the flour mixture; (reserve 1 cup of flour mixture on the side). With the dough hook attachment, on speed 2, process for 2 minutes. Increase to speed 3 and add 1 tbsp. at a time of the flour mixture to help to release the dough from the sides of the bowl. When it releases, increase to speed 4 and knead for 4 minutes.
• 4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle on some of the remaining flour mixture and knead a little then stretch to form a rectangle shape. Add ¼ cup each of green and black olives. Knead again, trying to get all the olives in before adding the rest (if it's sticky or wet, add more flour). When the dough is workable enough, form a ball by folding under - if there are leftover olives on the work surface, stick them on. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl and coat it with oil from the bowl. Lightly drizzle oil over the dough, cover and transfer to the warm oven (heat off). Let it rise until it triples in size, about 2 hours
• 5. Two hours later, remove from the oven and transfer it back to a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle on some of the remaining flour mixture, fold it over and knead briefly. Pull the dough under forming a ball again. Place in a lightly oiled (bottom and sides) cast iron pan, cover and transfer to the unheated oven. Let it rise until it doubles in size.
• 6. 60 minutes later, remove from the oven and set the temperature to 350ºF. Drizzle a little bit more oil over the dough and gently spread it so it covers the surface. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the bread cool off before slicing, about 30 minutes.
• 7. To view this recipe on YouTube, click on this link >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GALmaVNI0

COLORFUL MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of your stand mixer, add yeast, water (between 1105-110ºF) nd honey. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes. Start the oven at 350ºF for 1 ½ to 2 minutes and then shut it off. It will be the best warm and draft-free spot to place the dough to rise later.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine bread flour, rosemary, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper and sea salt; whisk until well blended and set aside.
• Back to the stand mixer; add oil and the flour mixture; (reserve 1 cup of flour mixture on the side). With the dough hook attachment, on speed 2, process for 2 minutes. Increase to speed 3 and add 1 tablespoons at a time of the flour mixture to help to release the dough from the sides of the bowl. When it releases, increase to speed 4 and knead for 4 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle on some of the remaining flour mixture and knead a little then stretch to form a rectangle shape. Add ¼ cup each of green and black olives. Knead again, trying to get all the olives in before adding the rest (if it's sticky or wet, add more flour). When the dough is workable enough, form a ball by folding under - if there are leftover olives on the work surface, stick them on. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl and coat it with oil from the bowl. Lightly drizzle oil over the dough, cover and transfer to the warm oven (heat off). Let it rise until it triples in size, about 2 hours.
• Two hours later, remove from the oven and transfer it back to a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle on some of the remaining flour mixture, fold it over and knead briefly. Pull the dough under forming a ball again. Place in a lightly oiled (bottom and sides) cast iron pan, cover and transfer to the unheated oven. Let it rise until it doubles in size.
• 60 minutes later, remove from the oven and set the temperature to 350ºF. Drizzle a little bit more oil over the dough and gently spread it so it covers the surface. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let the bread cool off before slicing, about 30 minutes.

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.