Bread Sticks with Kalamata Olives

Olive Bread Sticks

Kalamata olives were named after the village they come from in the Peloponnese region of Greece.  They have a meaty texture and are quite filling.  They are by far my family's favourite olive and therefore, we always have them in our home.

This recipe is a little something special that I enjoy making with olives.  They sure do bring a pleasant aroma into our home while baking.  In fact, the scent of fresh baked bread seems to last longer in our home than the bread sticks themselves.  (Everyone waits around the kitchen in order to grab a few sticks while they're coming out of the oven).  Warm or cooled off, these bread sticks are delicious!

Here's a tip when kneading dough: If the dough shrinks, cover with a wet tea towel and let rest for another 10 minutes before rolling to required thickness.

Ingredients:

2 tsp Dry Active Yeast

11/2 cups warm Water

3 1/2 cups Flour

2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

18 Kalamata Olives

4 tsp Olive Oil

1. Starter:  In a bowl, whisk together the yeast and water.  Add 1 1/2 cups flour and the sugar.  Cover the bowl and put in a warm place for 20 minutes.

2.  Once starter is ready, using a food processor, add 2 cups flour, salt, 2 tsp olive oil and the starter.

3.  Using the dough blade, mix for 5 to 10 minutes.

4.  Grease a bowl with olive oil and rub olive oil around the ball of dough.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and store in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

5.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle corn meal over the paper.

6.  Once dough has doubled, flour a clean work surface and flatten the dough.  Sprinkle the olives across top.

7.  Press the olives into the dough with your hands.

8.  Roll dough into a rectangle until it's 1/2 inch thick.

9.  Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

10.  Cut into 1/2 inch strips.

11.  Transfer strips to the cookie sheets.

12.  Brush remaining olive oil over top of strips, or spray olive oil over strips as illustrated.  Let rest for 10 minutes prior to baking.

13.  Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

Note:  The olives can be substituted with rosemary.
When kneading dough, if the dough shrinks, cover with a wet tea towel and let rest for another 10 minutes before rolling to required thickness.