Mediterranean Bread With Kalamata Olives And Feta Food

WHOLE WHEAT OLIVE AND FETA CHEESE BREAD-ELIOPSOMO

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the instant yeast with the flour and then add the water.
• Add the salt and olive oil and mix well.
• Now place the dough on a floured surface and start kneading. Stretch the dough away from you and then roll it back in. Do this several times until dough is elastic and smooth. It took me about 7-10 minutes.
• Roll in a ball and cover with plastic wrap and put in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit somewhere warm for about an hour.
• Take the ball and separate in 2 balls. Stretch the ball so that you have a long piece of dough. Pour in there half the olives, half of the feta and half of the oregano. Form again in a ball making sure all the olives are tucked inside.
• Do the same with the other piece of dough.
• Place both balls on a pan flattening a bit and let them sit for about 30 minutes
• Preheat oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
• Sprinkle some flour on top of each piece of dough and make a small slit.
• Bake for about 30 minutes.
• Due to the olives and feta, this bread is a bit moist; so let it cool down a bit before serving, otherwise it may fall apart.

MARINATED FETA WITH KALAMATA OLIVES

Steps:

• Combine the peppers, feta and olives in a large bowl.
• Add the olive oil and toss gently.
• Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently again.
• Adjust seasonings, cover and chill atleast 5 hours before serving.

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.