olives Archives - Page 2 of 2 -

There is a certain reward that comes from baking your own bread at home. Unlike other forms of cooking or baking, working with bread dough forces me to slow down and it calms my soul. The process is beautiful and there is no substitute for warm crusty bread fresh out of the oven. Over the past few years I’ve experimented with various bread baking techniques in trying to achieve the crust found on most artisan breads. For these Olive and Rosemary Breadstick Twists, I used a steaming method that I once learned from a Zingerman’s bread baking class. In addition to making a fairly wet dough, a steam tray is placed in the bottom of the oven, helping the bread to develop a golden, crisp, and chewy crust.

With the abundance of rosemary plants at Whole Foods last week, I was reminded of a whole -grain rosemary loaf that I once tried at the farmer’s market. In these breadsticks, I added kalamata olives with the rosemary and found that those pair quite well in this savory bread. I used a combination of all-purpose, whole wheat, and rye flours for character and flavor. This bread does require some planning ahead as it needs to be started the night before, but the dough comes together quickly and no kneading is necessary. During the overnight resting period, the bread develops an incredibly deep flavor and a great chewy texture. Lastly, in the recipe I’ve included measurements by weight and by volume, but using weighted measurements will most accurately help you to achieve the correct flour to water ratio. It’s hard to believe that such a simple method can lead to such great results, but I hope you will give this a try!

Olive and Rosemary Breadstick Twists

Ingredients

10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
3½ ounces whole wheat flour (about ¾ cup)
1½ ounces rye flour (about ¼ cup)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon yeast
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
7 ounces water (about ⅞ cup)
3 ounces beer (about ⅓ cup)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
coarse finishing salt for sprinkling on top
special equipment: pizza stone

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, and yeast. Stir in the rosemary and kalamata olives. In a small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix together the water, beer, and vinegar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Cover and let rest for 8-18 hours.
Place pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 425.
Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead 10-15 times. Divide dough to make 10 smaller pieces. Roll each piece to make a 10-inch rope. Twist 2 pieces together and pinch the ends. Repeat with the remaining 8 pieces. Cover and let rise 30-40 minutes, until the indentation springs back when a finger lightly presses the dough. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.
Quickly sprinkle the pizza stone with cornmeal and gently transfer the breadstick twists to the pizza stone. Pour 2 cups of water in the rimmed baking sheet and quickly close the oven door.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until bread is golden brown.

I’m still a little shaken from last week and the deep sadness is continuing to linger on. My heart is broken for our dear friends because I know the road ahead is going to be long and difficult. I brought this Chicken Marbella to them and I was able to experience how it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. I had been aching all week to help and there was absolutely nothing I could do. Even though I was helpless to change the horrible circumstances, bringing a meal at least allowed me to communicate my love and care for them.

This recipe for Chicken Marbella is adapted from the classic Silver Palate Cookbook. It features tender meat accompanied by prunes, olives, and capers in a red wine, garlic, and oregano marinade. I used all chicken thighs instead of a variety of chicken pieces since the chicken cooks more evenly when each piece is approximately the same size. I find dark meat flavorful than light meat, but light meat will also work fine if that is your preference. I omitted the brown sugar because I tend to save sugar for desserts and I didn’t want the dish to be overly sweet since the prunes already add a sweet complement to the savory meat. This is a great dish to make for big crowds because it’s almost the same amout of work for 4 servings than it is for 10. The recipe below serves 10-12, but it is easily halved for smaller gatherings. Some planning ahead is required since an overnight marination is necessary, but then all you need to do is add wine and bake on the day it is served. It tastes great right out of the oven, room temperature, and even cold. Chicken Marbella is a spectacular and versatile dish for any occasion.

Chicken Marbella

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

10 pounds chicken thighs
8 cloves of garlic, finely minced
¼ cup dried oregano
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
½ cup pitted green olives, sliced
⅓ cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup white wine

Instructions

Divide the garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers, and bay leaves evenly among two gallon-sized ziploc bags. Add the chicken pieces to both bags and seal tightly. Use hands to distribute marinade evenly around the chicken and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in a large roasting pan or two large baking pans. Pour white wine around chicken pieces. Depending on the size of the chicken pieces, bake 50-75 minutes, until chicken becomes golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with juices every 15 minutes.
Transfer chicken, prunes, and olives to a serving platter and spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Notes

adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook