ELIOPSÓMO OLIVE BREAD

By MELPOMENI MATTHEWS @melpomeni.matthews in collaboration with @grecianpurveyor www.grecianpurveyor.com

I just love how simple it is to make this no knead Eliopsomo, olive bread. Whether you’re a beginner or artisan baker you will appreciate the thick golden, crispy and chewy crust of this dough. Bursting with salty black olives this bread is a meal in itself and it’s the perfect pairing with the very best quality olive oil you can get your hands on.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup plain wholemeal flour

2 tbsp dried oregano

3/4 tsp dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 cups water, approx (luke warm) 2 tbsp Greek olive oil

1 cup whole, dry cured olives (pitted and then roughly chopped)

METHOD

1. Combine the flours, oregano, yeast, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients with a dough whisk or wooden spoon.

2. In a pouring jug, add sugar to the water to dissolve, then add olive oil. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the water, stirring until a wet and sticky dough has formed.

3. Stir the olives into the dough until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rest for 12-18 hours at room temperature. 18 hours is preferable.

5. Preheat a large cast oven pot with a lid in a hot oven to 220 °C.

6. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and flip the dough out of the bowl letting it slide out onto the floured surface.

7. Dust the top of the dough with more flour, and using floured hands or a dough scraper fold the doughs edges toward the centre to create a ball.

8. Gently flip the ball over, so the folds are now facing down. Dust with more flour and again very gently shape the dough into a ball.

9. Take out the pre-heated cast iron pot from the oven, remove the lid and gently pick up the dough and place it onto a piece of baking paper and then carefully into the preheated pot. Cover and bake for around 30 min. Then take the lid off and bake for further 30 min or until a golden and crisp crust has formed and the bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

10. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serve with a bowl of your best quality olive oil to dip into. Enjoy!