Recipe: Kalamata Olive Rolls - Basic Bread Dough

Kalamata Olive Rolls
Source: rec.food.cooking/Kay Hartman
Yield: 15 rolls

This was one of the breads I served at my Italian dinner. This recipe is from Patricia Wells' Trattoria. This is a recipe that I make quite frequently. This was the first recipe I've ever made on a stone. I love the way the rolls come out baked on the stone. I make these rolls pretty frequently. Jack and I cannot eat one recipe in one meal. In spite of what Patricia Wells says, I freeze the leftover rolls and heat them in the microwave for later meals.

Individual Olive Rolls
Pane alle Olive

1 recipe Basic Bread and Pizza Dough prepared through Step 3 [recipe below]
About 30 salt-cured black olives, such as Italian Gaeta or French Nyons olives, pitted and halved [I used Kalamata]
Cornmeal, for dusting

1. Three hours before you plan to bake the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Punch down the dough and let it rise until about doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C; gas mark 9).

3. Divide the dough evenly into 15 portions, each weighing about 2 ounces (60 g). Press several olive halves into each portion of dough and shape each portion into a neat round, pulling the dough around itself to form a tight ball. Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

4. Place the rolls on the baking sheet in the center of the oven. Using a garden mister, generously spray the bottom and sides of the oven with water. Then spray 3 more times during the first 6 minutes of baking. (The steam created will give the dough a boost during rising and will help give the roll a good crust.) Bake until the rolls are a deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, turning the baking sheet from time to time for even browning.

5. Remove the rolls from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. The rolls should be consumed the day they are prepared.

Variation: In place of olives, you may wish to fill these light little rolls with freshly chopped rosemary or leaves of fresh thyme.

Basic Bread and Pizza Dough
Pasta per Pane e Pizza

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/3 cups (330 ml) lukewarm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
About 3 3/4 cups (1 pound; 500 g) bread flour

1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water, and stir to blend. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oil and salt.

2. Add the flour, a little at a time, stirring until most of the flour has been absorbed and the dough forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until soft and satiny but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes, adding additioanl flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.

3. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator. Let the dough rise in the refrigerator until doubled or tripled in bulk, 8 to 12 hours. (The dough can be kept for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Simply punch down the dough as it doubles or triples.)

Proceed with the individual recipes for rolls and pizza.

Yield: Enough dough for 15 rolls or 4 small pizzas