Olive bread is made with olives, usually kalamatas, and can be bought or made at home. It’s versatile and can be used as picnic or table bread, or as a filling snack. Olives can be mixed into the dough or pressed in before the second rise. The dough can be yeast or sourdough, and some may use whole-wheat flour. To make at home, start with a simple bread recipe and add olives as desired.
Olive bread is a type of bread that is made with the addition of olives, most commonly the salty Greek olives known as kalamatas, although other olive varieties are perfectly acceptable. There are several varieties of olive bread, many of which are likely for sale at your local market or bakery. It’s also possible to make olive bread at home, giving you more control over the ingredients.
Among the many varieties of flavored breads, olive bread is quite popular. It’s also extremely versatile. It can be used as picnic bread, for example, in which case it can be spread with cheese, dipped in toppings, or dressed in tapenades and other spreads. It can also be used as table bread, in which case it can be served with oil and vinegar. Olive wraps are also quite common and can make a filling snack when paired with a cheese like feta.
To make olive bread, bakers simply mix the dough as they normally would, adding olives to the mix. The olives can also be pressed into the bread before it is baked, although they can be burnt when this is done, so they are usually pressed into the bread before the second rise, allowing the bread to rise around the olives, protecting them from the heat of the oven. The olives can be whole or sliced, depending on personal taste, and can be mixed with spices such as rosemary or cheese; blue cheese is a common choice.
The base of the dough for bread with olives can be yeast or sourdough. Sourdough breads have a chewier, filling texture that complements olives well, while softer, softer yeast doughs are perfectly acceptable. Some cooks may also mix in some whole-wheat flour for a hint of nutty flavor. Many olive breads are vegan, with simple doughs containing only flour, water, oil and salt.
If you want to make olive bread at home, start with a relatively simple bread recipe that you think might be good with olives. If you’re unsure, make a plain loaf and try slices with an assortment of olive varieties on the side. After mixing the dough, add the olives as desired, taking care to remove the pits. Some cooks halve the olives, to ensure pits are removed before cooking. Let the dough rise and bake it as you normally would.
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