Moroccan Olive Bread - North Africa

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Moroccan Olive Bread - North Africa

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup tepid water

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon anise seeds

6 pitted green olives, or black olives, sliced

crosswise

 

 

 

 

 

In a small bowl, mix the yeast with 1/4 cup of the

water and let stand for 5 minutes. Sift the 2 1/2 cups

of flour into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt and

anise. With a wooden spoon, stir in the yeast and the

remaining 3/4 cup of water until a raggy dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and

knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. With

lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a ball,

then flatten it into a 7-inch disk. Press the olives

into the top of the loaf. Set the bread on a lightly

floured baking sheet and let rise in a warm place for

1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in volume.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the bread for about 45

minutes, or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the

bottom. Transfer the bread to a rack and let cool

slightly before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The bread can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Thaw the loaf before reheating it in a 350° oven.

 

MAKES 1 MEDIUM LOAF

ACTIVE TIME: 15 MIN

TOTAL TIME: 3 HRS

 

Author: Anissa Helou

Source: Couscous Chronicles, Food & Wine, March, 2005.

Formatted by Chupa Babi:03.11.05

 

Berber women sell loaves of dense and crusty bread in

market stalls throughout Morocco. In this recipe,

thickly slicing the olives before placing them on the

unbaked bread allows the briny oil from the cut sides

to seep into the dough.

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