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Eliopsomo
Eliópsomo: Kalamata olive bread with onion, oregano and olive oil
Around Kalamata, where the almond-shaped black olives ripen in groves running down to the Messinian gulf, bakers make eliopsomo for the long fasting weeks of Lent, when bread, olives and oil are lunch. The dough is rich with olive oil and folded with a generous handful of chopped Kalamata olives, soft-fried onion and dried oregano, then baked into a crusty round with a soft, purple-flecked crumb. Slice it with tomatoes and cucumber or dip into soups. Common mistake: adding wet, brined olives straight from the jar — drain and pat them dry, or the dough turns sticky and grey. Chef's tip: fold the olives in after the first rise so they don't break up while kneading.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Fry 1 onion in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat until soft and golden. Cool.
8 minStep 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar. Add 1 ¼ cups warm water and 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and springy.
10 minStep 3: Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
75 minStep 4: Press the dough flat, scatter over the onion, 6 ½ oz Kalamata olives and 2 tsp dried oregano and fold and knead gently just until evenly spread.
Step 5: Shape into a tight round, set on a floured tray, cover and prove until puffy and a fingertip dent springs back slowly.
40 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan). Slash the top, brush with the rest of 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and bake for 35–40 minutes, until deep brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
40 minStep 7: Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does eliopsomo take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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