I have a bad habit of trying different things when I go to a restaurant. Bad because, most of the time I make wrong choices from the menu (which I later don’t end up liking). I did the same thing at the very popular ‘Panera bread‘. Wrong choices a couple of times and we decided never to go again. But last week, I went there with my colleagues. I tasted a panini and loved it. Within a week I returned there to eat it again with V, that itself says how much I loved it.
Now, V wanted me to bake a bread at home. I have been baking a lot these days. I feel baking a bread is much easier once you get the hang of it. I love the freshly baked bread aroma. I know, everyone does. So I decided to bake a bread yesterday. I checked in panera bread website and found an olive bread recipe which looked interesting. Based on that, I baked this bread, with a few variations I wanted to make, to the original recipe.
I must say, this was one of the best breads I have ever baked. It was very easy as I did not spend much time to knead the dough. It got ready in about 2hrs – most of which was proofing time where I didn’t have to do anything. I used 2/3rd of the dough and have frozen the remaining for later use.
Check out tomato cheese panini.
Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 and 3/4 cups water(approx)
1 tea spn honey
1/4 cup chopped olives
2 tea spns active dry yeast
1/4 tea spn red chilli flakes
1 tea spn salt
2 tbl spn butter
For brushing:
1 tbl spn butter
Garlic salt (if not available, use fresh garlic chopped fine and normal salt)
Dried basil
Method:
Add salt and honey to luke warm water. Add yeast and leave it for 10mins to get active.
Add all other ingredients. Mix and leave it in a warm place till the dough doubles in volume (It took approx 1hr for me).
Now take the dough on a clean surface and knead dough for about 2-3mins. Shape it into desired size and keep on the baking tray (I lined a cookie sheet with a aluminum sheet and applied some olive oil to it).
Leave it for another 30mins till they proof again.
With a knife, put a cut on the dough.
Preheat the oven at 450F for 10mins.
Bake the bread for about 15mins.
Take out and brush some butter on the bread. Sprinkle garlic salt and basil on top.
Bake again for about 15mins.
I served it with basil and olive oil mixture as it is done in my favorite Italian restaurant.
Lovely Pictorial Shilpa..looks very very comforting! Tks for so much of efforts..worth it is the end result!
Looks very professional!
U r sooo amazing and a patient cook
Wow, this looks good Shilpa. Yet another bread to try from your collection. Never knew that bread dough could be frozen too, good to knw that. I love the paninis in Panera too, tomato-mozarella is yummy..
Wow!!!! that looks so yummy!!! the pictures are so tempting. I have to try my hands on this.
Thanks for posting this recipe.
I have a question, the olives used here, are they the ones preserved in brine/salt water?
Shilpa: Yes.
it looks good…. i have seen all ur bread recipes…. i don’t bake so often …. u can say i know only the basics of baking…. but i really want to try baking a bread …. so what are the chances of getting good final product considering i am not a pro in baking….
Shilpa: Nusrat, like any other recipe, it depends on you. I can’t tell the chances. I feel this is a very easy recipe and should work well for anyone.
Thanks Shilpa
thanks shilpa,,,
i will definitely give it a try…. wish me luck….
one more thing… can u please post some tips for thawing frozen bread dough…. i hope many will appreciate it….
Shilpa: I just keep it in warm place till it comes to room temperature. Then shape it into desired shape and follow the next steps like in the above recipe.
Lovely!
OMG I must try this one, specially because it has NO eggs 😀 Thanks once again!
One quick question though – do you use unsalted or salted butter (costco) ?
Shilpa: Unsalted
Wow wat a gorgeous bread, i love olives n this bread is pulling me to prepare soon..
That’s a gorgeous loaf Shilpa… I have the opposite habit, I tend to order the same exact items from a restaurant, once I find something I like! I have no idea how many great things I’ve missed out on because of this… 🙂
thnks for the step by step pictorial..bread looks crisp nd yum,..
looks yum shilpa….. A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR O YOU AND FAMILY!
Hi,
Hello this is roopa, the recipes which is given i.e olive bread is really very good, but as it was very difficult for me to find out the items in english as though i refered the dictionary and i got the items names translated, recipes are good but the words would be difficult to the people(different languages) pls try to give the easier words so that we can also learn to prepare the recipes.
Thank you so much for giving good recipes
Well, as you know I am always trying new things when i see them; I have found my most favorite foods this way! For me, it is worth passing through those meals that I didn’t care for! But I do know some people who are cautious at all times and stay eating the same things. Life is too short- I say your curiosity is good- look at this beautiful loaf! I love olive bread!
hi shilpa
thanku for the great and easy recipe it looks delicious can i use ghee instead of ghee becouz my hubby dosent like butter is there anything alternative instead of butter please help me.
Shilpa: I haven’t tried it. You can try and see if it works.
Hi Shilpa, the olive bread looks yummy! Can you give me info abt what oven you have? any suggestions for a good oven in India?
Shilpa: I don’t know about the oven brand, it came with the apartment here in US.
Hi There,
I really love your patience. I am new to your blog but i have tried many recipies of yours like Masala Pulav, Khara Pongal etc., they all have come out really well. Thanks so much for this, Lady you have so much of patience and this shows how much you look to cook and try new recipies, i like to try new dishes as well. I like to know more dishes i can cook for tiffin and also side dishes. Well, i liked most of your recipies since i am a Kannada Person but belongs to a muslim family. I have a question for you and befor i ask plase forgive my ignorance for asking this. i am a spinster trying these dishes and i always loved to try baking breads but havent tried it ever. I want to know what kind of micro wave is best to buy for baking breaks, cakes, tandoori dishes etc. Please suggest and advice which one to go for? Thank You!
Shilpa: Buy some microwave which comes with convention mode(which is used for baking cakes etc). I don’t know any particular brand.
I have always been a little sceptical about baking bread..mostly the yeast has scared me a bit. But I see your post after post and how you write your experience baking a bread…seems like there is nothing to fear about. Your enthu is getting me close to baking a bread soon..I think the first bread I bake will be this one. Thx dear Shilpa.
Hi Shilpa, I have been a regular visitor on your website and have left few messages too but I understand that its not always possible for you to respond to all the messages. Loved your bread and panini recipes. I just started baking, tried my hand with the first home made pizza and found that pretty good, considering my first attempt and all. So this will give me some more towards my baking education. Just have one request, if you can, could you get some koli recipes (I tries prawns sukka made by a kolin in Alibaug beach and still not got recipe for it.) Thank you again and keep our amchi food flag up…You are doing an excellent job.
Shilpa: Thats strange, as I can’t see even one comment from your mail id. Anyway, thanks for the kind words.
Please check Anjali’s site for kli recipes.
Hi Shilpa, thanks for the other website. I actually left you feedback from another email as we were in UK until recently and now in USA. Btw, strangely my Dad gave me the recipe for the kolambi suke (koli style-he asked our local kolin from the market) what a coincidence right? So I made it today for dinner and its exactly the one I tasted so sharing it with you. http://pritissearch.blogspot.com/2009/01/alibaag-kolambi-suke-recipe.html
And I am also GSB married to Saraswat so love your blog. Well done again. Let me know how you like the recipe.
Wow this looks perfect….
Hi Shilpa,
I tried ur version of olive bread and it turned out great!! I just added some olive oil while making the dough and the bread tasted more like turkish bread. Also I made bread pockets..and stuffed some roast veggies into it ..just so yum!!
hi shilpa
yesterday i tried this bread but it came out very hard like a stone i don’t know what went wrong can suggest me why i came out hard thanx.
Shilpa: Was the yeast activated properly? Did the dough double in volume before you baked it?
yes shilpa it is activated and dough didn’t doubled but it became little bit more but i did same procedure as yours iam not understanding why it came like that.
Shilpa: If it did not double in volume, the bread will never come out well. Yes, even if you follow the recipe exactly, bread making needs some expertise. I made rock like breads many times before I finally mastered it. So keep trying.
thanks shilpa will try again and again thanks for your patience
Hi Shilpa
I tried the bread… Its just that the bread turned to that lovely brown color in 15 min rather than 30 min… I felt it was slightly uncooked in the center (was slightly sticky when i chewed)… i baked it at 450F… Should i reduce the temperature?
Yes, reduce the temperature next time
Hi Shilpa,
Thanks for the awesome recipe.. I have always wanted to bake a bread, but was unsure.. Gave it a shot after seeing this recipe.. Both me and my hubby loved it !
I used a microwave in convention mode for about 15 mins at 225 deg C.
BTW, I loved the date cake too..:-)
-Rashmi
hey great thing
why dont u try italian cousin refer fox history and traveling channel food at 9 pm to 10 pm indian time it is great thing by rolph
well i want gun powder recipi
kalanachi bhakari(khandeshi) recipi
sun dried papad chikani papad bibade tikht sandage
bobil valale dried sea food recipi