Greek Olive and Onion Bread

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Description

This is a lovely bread to add to a Mediterranean meze table. Use black or green olives and try it toasted, drizzled with a little olive oil and rubbed with roasted garlic.

Ingredients

  • 2 (.25 ounce) packages rapid rise yeast
  • ½ cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large red onions, diced
  • 7 cups bread flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon white sugar
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (Optional)
  • 2 cups pitted kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1 ¾ cups warm water

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and the onions. Cook and stir for 3 minutes
  3. or until onions are soft. Remove the onions from heat and reserve.
  4. Combine the bread flour
  5. salt
  6. sugar
  7. dill
  8. garlic powder
  9. olives
  10. 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
  11. about 8 minutes.
  12. Lightly oil a large bowl
  13. 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
  14. about 1 hour.
  15. 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
  16. and place the loaves into the prepared pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume
  17. about 40 minutes.
  18. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  19. Bake loaves in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped
  20. about 40 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 5 mins

Servings: 8

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