Olive Pretzel Bread Flower with Muhammara Dip

 This soft pretzel tear-and-share bread  is delicious, stuffed with kalamata olives and perfect as an appetizer! Paired with a creamy muhammara dip - a rich and flavoursome Middle-Eastern dip made of roasted red pepper, toasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses -  this bread flower is simple, delicate and eye-catching.




Serves: Up to 16 (as a starter)

Recipe:
Ingredients:

For the bread:
  • 1 tbsp fast action yeast
  • 120 ml warm water (mix 90ml cold water with 30ml boiling water)
  • 2 tbsp agave nectar
  • 200 ml warm water (150ml cold, 50ml boiling)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 500-550g all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 200g jar kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • flaky salt
  • a handful of fresh thyme (optional)
To cook the bread:
  • 1 pan boiling water
  • 2-3tbsp bicarbonate of soda
(For the muhammara I use this recipe.)

Method: 

  1. First, activate the yeast: in a small bowl, whisk the yeast with the 120ml of warm water and the agave nectar, and leave to activate for about 15 minutes, until frothy.
  2. Mix the yeast mixture, the 200ml warm water, the olive oil, the flour, and the salt in a large mixing bowl. Knead together for about 10 minutes- you may need more flour to keep the dough from sticking, and it helps to drizzle some olive oil on your hands when kneading. 
  3. Knead in the chopped kalamata olives, until dispersed throughout the dough.
  4. Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl and cover. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in size. Alternatively, let the dough rise in the fridge for at least 12 hours, up to 48 hours, and allow to come to room temperature before proceeding.
  5. Once risen, punch the dough down to deflate it, then roll flat to about 1-1.5cm thickness.Cut out some small circles using a cookie cutter (depending on the size of petals you would like). Repeat to use up all the dough. 
  6. Preheat the oven to 200C.
  7. Bring a large pot of water and the baking soda to a boil. Boil the dough circles (in batches, a few at a time) for about 20 seconds, flipping halfway, before removing with a slotted spoon and allowing to drain and cool. 
  8. Shape the bread flower: Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place a ramekin dish in the centre. Lightly fold the dough petals, pinching the top of the petal, and place them in a circle around the ramekin so that they touch but aren't too crowded (see pic below). Repeat this step with 2 or 3 more ramekins so that you have few circles of petals on baking trays. You should end up with 3-4 small circles of petals.
  9. Sprinkle the dough petals with flaky salt. 
  10. Remove the ramekin dish before baking the bread for about 15-18 minutes, until deep golden brown.
  11. Allow to cool.
  12. Once cool, place one circle around an empty ramekin dish- this will be the centre of the flower. Next split up the other bread circles and tuck them slightly under the middle flower, clustered together so that they form a larger circle- the outer circle.
  13. Optional: Garnish with some sprigs of thyme or other fresh herbs.
  14. Serve with a dip of your choice: Muhammara works well!  

Enjoy! :)

Only shape the middle cluster of petals before baking.

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