Olive Flatbread
Servings: 2 loaves
This is my husband Dan's favorite bread recipe. He says the egg in the dough makes this bread extra-tender and special. Dan likes to combine the olives with sun-dried tomatoes and capers to top the talami.
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 2 1/4 cups water warm, about 110°F
- 1/2 cup neutral oil such as canola or safflower (look for expeller-pressed)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted and chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in 2 cups of the warm water. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, until the yeast is creamy and slightly bubbly.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of the oil, the salt, and egg. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix in the flour, one cup at a time, until there are no lumps and a wet, sticky dough has formed. Add about 1/4 cup more water as you mix in the flour.
- Coat the dough and the sides of the bowl with a tablespoon of the oil, and reach under the droopy dough to coat the bowl with oil underneath it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (without letting it touch the dough) and drape a kitchen towel over the top. Let the dough rest in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 450° F. Coat a two baking sheets with about 2 tablespoons of the oil. Divide the dough in quarters and form each one into a round, placing 2 on each pan. Rub more oil over the tops of the dough and let them rise for another 15 minutes.
- Divide the olives evenly among the loaves and press them into the top of each loaf, making dimples with the tips of your fingers.
- Bake the bread, one pan at a time, for 10-15 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool for about 15 minutes and serve immediately.
