"Weekend" Recipe 3/9/09

So I missed my own deadline of two recipes in one weekend. But since this is my blog, I can do whatever I want. So here's the second recipe, again from How to Cook Everything:

Olive Oil Salt Bread
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: About 45 minutes, largely unattended

This is hands down the fastest way to get fresh warm bread on the table (the variation is actually a little faster). Rich and flaky with olive oil, this biscuitlike dough is easy to handle and takes to all sorts of additions, like cheese (especially Parmesan), chopped olives, or seasonings (see the list on page 846). Just knead them in with your hands after processing. Like most unyeasted breads, it is best eaten still warm from the oven.

.33 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, preferably coarse or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup warm water

1) Heat the oven to 375*F. Grease an 8-inch ovenproof skillet or square baking pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and turn the machine on. Pour first the .33 cup olive oil, then most of the water, through the feed tube. Process for about 30 seconds; then remove the cover. The dough should be in a well-defined, barely sticky, easy-to-handle ball. If it is too dry, add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and process for 5 to 10 seconds after each addition. If it is too wet, which is unlikely, add a tablespoon or two of flour and process briefly.

2) Put the dough into the prepared pan and press until it fits to the edges. Flip it over and press again. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes; then remove the foil, sprinkle the top with a little coarse salt, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and springs back when touched gently. Cool in the pan a bit, then cut into wedges or squares and serve or store for up to a day.

How to Cook Everything was copywrited in 2008 by Doubly B Publishing Inc., and published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in Hoboken, New Jersey. This representation of the text is intended for educational use only.