Hello my Foodie Friends!
We’re baaaaack! It’s the season of great baked goods and my personal favorite is bread. My mother was baking every day at this time of year and my brothers and sisters and I were hypnotized by her abilities.
If you have ever baked your own or been around someone who could bake bread then you can probably sit back right now and breathe in the aroma of that food. As I have discussed with you in the past, my mother had a lot of secret weapons to tame the 5 wild children she was raising almost by herself. My father worked two jobs so he was gone before we woke up and returned home after we were in bed. The bread baking worked every time and we would behave just to get a chance to help her and get a piece of hot bread with butter when she was done.
Of course being the second oldest I was at the beginning of the line. After all, as everyone from a big family knows, is that age means everything! Paula has carried on the tradition and is a great baker also. She has just made this delicious recipe from LeCreuset and we wanted to pass it on to our Foodie Friends! Fill your home with the aromas of love and enjoy this holiday season! Please remember to stop into our new location at 46 Marion Ave. and let me know how it came out. Better yet bring me a sample for a 10 percent discount on a new LeCrueset 5.5 qt. French Oven! Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”
Take Care,
John and Paula
Olive Parmesan Bread
Created for a 5 1/2 qt. round French oven
Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup finely grated, divided
7 ounces Kalamata olives, halved
Olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a stand mixer fitted with the bread hook attachment, combine flour, yeast, salt and 1 cup water. Mix briefly. Once combined, add remaining water, 1 cup grated Parmesan and olives. Mix until dough is thoroughly combined. It should not be sticky.
Form the dough into a round shape with your hands and place in a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil and dusted with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until tripled in size and dough springs back when touched, about 3 – 4 hours.
Brush the French oven with olive oil or butter. Place the dough round in the center. Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake until golden brown and internal temperature is 200°F.
Allow the bread to rest in the French oven for 20 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack before slicing.
Serves ten or more people
