Simple Mediterranean bread
Basic ingredients for bread:
1 big glass of water
Flour (all purpose)
1 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
3 Tsp olive oil
Salt
Mixed seeds or just sesame
Other ingredients to spice it up with: (the below are some of the things I have tried but I am sure you can improvise and improve it to your taste)
200g feta or 100g feta and 100g cheddar
8-10 cherry tomatoes and 1 small onion (put in them in a pan for 5+mins before adding to the bread mix)
15-20 pitted and chopped up olives (add feta too if you like)
Sun dried tomatoes and cheese of your choice
Red peppers and onion (put them in a pan for a few mins before adding to the bread mixture)
So, a few years ago, while sick and cocooning on the sofa, I did something out of character, I watched one of these mornings shows aimed for housewives (pressumably) on telly. Thankfully I can't remember anything else from that show but this bread recipe. I have made it so many times over the years and developed and adapted it according to what we had in the fridge or what we felt like eating that the recipe below has little to do with that original but here goes:
Measure a glass of water and heat it up so as it's warm-lukewarm. Pour 1/4 of the water in a small bowl, add the sugar and the yeast, stir lightly and cover. Leave it for 3-4 mins to rise. In the meantime, in a big bowl, mix the rest of the water with flour. I can't tell you how much flour yet, bear with me for a min. Now when the yeast is ready add it to the big bowl. Add the salt too. Now what you need to do is add flour again and make sure that the dough is sticky but not too much, so it will stick to your fingers very lightly and you will be able to remove it without needing water or to rub your fingers. Sorry if this doesn't make sense when you read it, it will make sense when you are making it.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let the mixture rise for 30 minutes at least. I normally leave it for an hour or more. Preheat the oven at 200° or gas mark 7.
In a baking tray of your choice, that you would normally use for cakes, place the dough, pour the olive oil and the cheeses or veggies above that you choose. If you use a silicone tray no need to use any extra oil for the tray so the bread doesn't stick. Mix them all well so that the cheeses or veggies are spread equally within the dough.
As for herbs and spices, I normally use paprika and/or turmeric, sometimes oregano, sometimes basil or tarragon. But I am sure you can use whatever takes your fancy and that you think compliments the rest of the ingredients you chose. When it's ready for the oven and has the shape you want it to have, add a few seeds on top. Place in the oven for 30-40 mins. Let it cool for 20 minutes and...enjoy!
1 big glass of water
Flour (all purpose)
1 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
3 Tsp olive oil
Salt
Mixed seeds or just sesame
Other ingredients to spice it up with: (the below are some of the things I have tried but I am sure you can improvise and improve it to your taste)
200g feta or 100g feta and 100g cheddar
8-10 cherry tomatoes and 1 small onion (put in them in a pan for 5+mins before adding to the bread mix)
15-20 pitted and chopped up olives (add feta too if you like)
Sun dried tomatoes and cheese of your choice
Red peppers and onion (put them in a pan for a few mins before adding to the bread mixture)
So, a few years ago, while sick and cocooning on the sofa, I did something out of character, I watched one of these mornings shows aimed for housewives (pressumably) on telly. Thankfully I can't remember anything else from that show but this bread recipe. I have made it so many times over the years and developed and adapted it according to what we had in the fridge or what we felt like eating that the recipe below has little to do with that original but here goes:
Measure a glass of water and heat it up so as it's warm-lukewarm. Pour 1/4 of the water in a small bowl, add the sugar and the yeast, stir lightly and cover. Leave it for 3-4 mins to rise. In the meantime, in a big bowl, mix the rest of the water with flour. I can't tell you how much flour yet, bear with me for a min. Now when the yeast is ready add it to the big bowl. Add the salt too. Now what you need to do is add flour again and make sure that the dough is sticky but not too much, so it will stick to your fingers very lightly and you will be able to remove it without needing water or to rub your fingers. Sorry if this doesn't make sense when you read it, it will make sense when you are making it.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let the mixture rise for 30 minutes at least. I normally leave it for an hour or more. Preheat the oven at 200° or gas mark 7.
In a baking tray of your choice, that you would normally use for cakes, place the dough, pour the olive oil and the cheeses or veggies above that you choose. If you use a silicone tray no need to use any extra oil for the tray so the bread doesn't stick. Mix them all well so that the cheeses or veggies are spread equally within the dough.
As for herbs and spices, I normally use paprika and/or turmeric, sometimes oregano, sometimes basil or tarragon. But I am sure you can use whatever takes your fancy and that you think compliments the rest of the ingredients you chose. When it's ready for the oven and has the shape you want it to have, add a few seeds on top. Place in the oven for 30-40 mins. Let it cool for 20 minutes and...enjoy!
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