It’s been a week now since the first day of summer and the heat wave is hitting us with all its power. This weekend are supposed to be 102F. Boy, that’s hot!
Between painting and dealing with the heat, being in the kitchen, cooking up a storm wasn’t exactly on my list. Light salads were on the menu most of the days, and now and then even some ice-cream for dinner (don’t give me that look now!)
Even tho the heat keeps me away from the kitchen, I still can bake. Somehow, my ovens don’t heat up the kitchen, like my stove does. So I bake. Almost everything. Even the salad.
Yes, I said salad.
You may think I’m making fun of you and that’s not possible, but it is. Very possible and very delicious! And perfect for Jen’s June bootcamp – salads!
I gathered most of the ingredients found in one of my favorite salads, Greek salad – tomatoes, olives, onion, feta cheese, olive oil, oregano – and turned them into these delicious rolls.
For the dough, i slightly adapted my olive oil rosemary bread using bread flour for a softer fluffier bread, and oregano instead of rosemary. After the dough is risen, I flatten it out, filled it with tomatoes, olives, onion and feta cheese and waited patiently until I took them out of the oven so I can do some taste-testing.
The rolls turned out better than I expected. The bread is soft and the filling cooks nicely while baking. The tomatoes and the onion soften, the olives and the cheese keeps its salty sharp taste. Was the perfect dinner on a weeknight.
The rolls are best eaten when warm. We had one left for the next day, and heated up for few seconds in the microwave. It was good, but not as good as the night before.
Yields 4 Greek Salad Rolls
Flavorful olive oil bread filled with tomatoes, onion, olives and feta cheese making a delicious weeknight dinner.
20 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
2 hr, 30 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups (480 grams) bread flour
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) lukewarm water
- 2 tsp dry yeast
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 – 2/3 cup (120 – 160 ml) water
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup sliced olives
- 2/3 cup chopped red onion
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl sift the flour and make a well in the middle. Pour the water and sprinkle the yeast on top of it. Let it rest few minutes at room temperature until the yeast dissolves and foams.
- When bubbled, with the dough hook on, add the olive oil, salt, oregano and egg and start mixing slowly adding enough water to make a soft bowl that cleans itself from the sides of the bowl. Let it knead for 3-5 more minutes.
- Alternatively, if you’re kneading by hand, add the egg, oil, salt and oregano in the middle of the flour. With a Danish whisk, start mixing the flour mixture, slowly adding enough water to form a ball. Take it out of the bowl, and on a lightly floured working surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes until soft and elastic.
- Place the dough in a oiled bowl, cover with plastic foil and leave at room temperature until it doubles in volume. Punch down, knead for 1 minute and divide the dough in 4 balls.
- With a rolling pin, flatten the dough in a 8X8 inch square. Place a little bit of the tomatoes, olives, onion and feta cheese on one side and with the other cover and seal to make a pocket. Place the roll/pocket with the opening side down (to make sure it doesn’t open wide while baking) in a 11X7 baking dish and cut three-four openings in the dough to let the veggie steam get out. Do the same with the remaining 3 rolls.
- Cover and let rise again for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 400F.
- When the rolls are puffed again, lower the oven temperature to 375F and bake them for approximately 30 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan before removing.
- Enjoy!
Sending love your way,
Roxana
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