Olive Oil Bread Pane Al Olio Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix together the warm water (110 degrees), yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Stir in 2 cups of the flour in order to make a soft ball. Knead in additional flour so that dough is soft and not sticky. Place kneaded dough in a medium size greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
• Punch down dough, and form into ball or loaf shape. Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into the water in a large mixing bowl, let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the oil and lard, then the flour and salt until well blended. Knead on a floured surface until elastic and velvety, eight to 10 minutes. The dough can also be mixed and kneaded in an electric mixer or a food processor. If you use a food processor, first dissolve the yeast in one-fourth cup of warm water in a small bowl, add all the dry ingredients to the food processor bowl, then add the liquids, including the dissolved yeast, through the feed tube with the machine running.
• Place kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about two hours. Dough should be very moist and velvety.
• Divide the dough into 12 to 14 equal pieces, each about the size of a lime, and shape into small balls. Arrange the balls about one-and-a-half inches apart, not touching, in two free-form circles on oiled, parchment-lined baking sheets, or place in oiled ring molds that have been sprinkled with sea salt. Cover with plastic wrap and then a towel and let rise until doubled, one-and-a-fourth to one-and-a-half hours.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. If you have made free-form rings, brush the tops of the rolls in olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
• Bake 35 minutes, cool on racks. Makes two rings.

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a mixing bowl. For easy-blend dried yeast, stir this into the flour. For fresh yeast, crumble it and rub into the flour as you would with butter when making pastry. Add the salt and sugar.
• Boil the kettle and measure 100ml into a jug. Top up with cold water to the 300ml mark. Test the temperature with your finger - it should feel perfectly hand-hot. Add the oil.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid all at once. Mix quickly using your hands or a wooden fork to make a soft and slightly sticky dough. Wipe the dough around the bowl to pick up any loose flour.
• Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip out the dough. Knead by stretching it away from you, then folding it in half towards you and pushing it away with the heel of your hand. Give it a quarter turn and repeat, developing a rhythm.
• When the dough is smooth, put it back into the mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hr (no need to find a warm place). The dough is ready when it springs back when you press it with your finger. (At this stage, you can add other flavourings - see 'Goes well with', right).
• Tip dough onto a floured surface, knead to remove air bubbles. Shape into a round, place on an oiled baking sheet and slash top with sharp knife. Cover and rise for 30 mins. Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 8. Bake for 30-35 mins until browned and crisp.