How to Bake Mediterranean Breads

When baking bread for family or friends, a time-honored creation is in the making. Baking is an art that is revered by many throughout recorded history. The Baker's trade goes all the way back to ancient times. Bread loaves have been discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs. The Bakers Guild, formed in Rome before the birth of Christ, still exists today.

Here's your chance to make beautiful loaves of bread loaded with flavor. Both of the following recipes can be made with the help of your bread maker to do the kneading. Otherwise, if kneading is the fun part for you, eliminate the bread maker machine and get that dough going with your own bare hands.

Olive & Feta Bread

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup hot water
• 2-1/2 cups white flour
• 1 Tblsp nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp yeast
• 2 oz pitted black olives, chopped
• 2 oz crumbled feta cheese
• olive oil (for brushing and greasing)
• mixed herbs (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Pour water in bread maker pan, sprinkle nonfat dry milk powder to cover.
2. Place salt and sugar in separate corners.
3. Add yeast to pocket in center of flour (don't let it mix with wet ingredients)
4. Put bread pan in machine, set to dough setting and press 'start'. Add feta cheese and olives near end of dough cycle.
5. When cycle is complete, turn off bread maker and remove the pan.
6. Lightly oil a round cake pan. Reshape dough to fit cake pan. Cover lightly and set aside in warm place for 40 mins to rise.
7. Remove cover and brush top of loaf with olive oil. Sprinkle with herbs.
8. Bake in preheated oven, 400 degrees F for 40 mins till loaf is golden. Cool on wire rack.

Focaccia with Rosemary and Mozzarella

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup hot water
• 1 Tblsp olive oil (plus extra for greasing pan)
• 2-1/2 cups white flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp yeast
• 5 oz grated mozzarella cheese
• sea salt, olive oil, fresh rosemary sprigs for topping

Directions:

1. Pour water in bread maker pan. Add oil. Sprinkle flour over all liquid. Place salt and sugar in two corners of pan, make a little pool in center of flour, add yeast (without touching liquid).
2. Set bread machine for dough or pizza dough setting and press start.
3. After cycle has completed, remove pan. Lightly oil round cake pan.
4. Flatten dough and form to pan. Add cheese.
5. Shape dough into ball and set into pan. Flatten slightly. Cover and set aside to rise in a warm place for 20 mins.
6. Remove cover, make pools in surface with fingers. Cover again and let sit in warm place to rise for 15 more mins.
7. Remove cover. Drizzle oil over top of dough. Sprinkle with rosemary sprigs and sea salt. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 mins at 400 degrees F.

Bakers have always been held in high esteem. This respect lives on in modern times as homemade or store-bought baked goods are equally cherished. And as they say in Greece when celebrating, "Wopah!"

Fresh bread

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