Rosemary Olive Bread Recipe

Bring On The Bread

I’ve never been one eager to make my own bread. But when I stumbled across this recipe that’s a no knead skillet olive bread I tried it. And I loved it! Now it makes regular appearances in my home.

This bread makes a great entertaining appetizer or sidekick for meals – your guests will be surprised you made it with your own two hands.

Time To Prepare:

About 2 hours; most of the time is reserved for the bread to “rise.”

Foodie Tips:

❤  Kalamata olives are my chosen favorite for this bread. You can substitute the kalamatas with your own favorite.

❤  Fresh herbs gives this bread a delightful taste. I noted my favorite herbs to use below – they come fresh from my garden!

Ingredients:

For The Dough:
2 Cups  |  Lukewarm Water
2 ¼ Teaspoons (1 Packet)  |  Active Dry Yeast
4 ⅓ Cups  |  All-Purpose Flour, Divided
½ Tablespoon  |  Kosher Salt
1 Cup  |  Kalamata Olives, Drained And Sliced (Or Whole)
1 Large  |  Garlic Clove, Minced
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Rosemary, Chopped
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Basil, Chopped (Optional)
1 Teaspoon  |  Fresh Oregano, Chopped (Optional)
1 Teaspoon  |  Fresh Thyme, Chopped (Optional)
1 Tablespoon  |  Olive Oil

To Serve:
1-2 Tablespoons  |  Olive Oil
To Garnish  |  Kosher Salt
To Garnish  |  Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped

What To Do:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the water and the yeast. Add 1 cup of flour and the ½ tablespoon of salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined.

2. Add the olives, garlic and the herbs of your choice and stir well. Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time and stir well between additions.

3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

4. In a 10-inch iron skillet add the tablespoon of olive oil (you can also use a stoneware baking dish if you don’t have an iron skillet). Using your fingers or a folded paper towel, coat the bottom and sides of the skillet with olive oil.

5. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Flour your hands and transfer the dough to the prepared skillet and carefully shape it into a roundish loaf. No kneading needed!

6. Cover the skillet with a kitchen towel and let it rise for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

7. Score the top of the dough with a knife. Brush the remaining olive oil on top of the dough, sprinkle it with the salt and parsley, and place it in the oven.

8. Bake about 30 minutes or until the top is nice and brown… and a knife comes out clean.

9. Remove the bread from the oven. Transfer the bread from the skillet onto a wire cooling rack. Brush the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Sprinkle with salt and the fresh parsley.

You can let the bread cool entirely but I like mine served still warm. Dipped in olive oil or red sauce I’ve enjoyed this bread as my meal!

Yield: About 12 servings.

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty

Email: JoePaul@KW.com
Mobile: 512-222-3302
Web: JoePaulReider.KW.com

Pappa al Pomodoro Recipe

Tomato Bread Soup

Found during my family’s holiday travel to Tuscany, this recipe makes great use of a household staple living beyond its freshest of days; stale bread. The end result? A delicious dish that will warm the belly. And the heart.

This recipe was inspired by Gabriella’s Journal; a book celebrating aromas and flavors from the rustic culture of Tuscany.

Foodie Tip:

❤  If you don’t have any 2-3 day old stale bread, you can cut fresh bread into bite-sized squares and place into your oven and bake at 225°F until crunchy. Do not use soft bread for this recipe!

Ingredients: 

6 Tablespoons  |  Olive Oil
2-3  |  Garlic Cloves, Cut Into Small Pieces
1  |  Celery Stick, Chopped Into Small Pieces
3-4 (1 ¾ cups)  |  Fresh Tomatoes, Chopped (tomatoes may also be peeled)
6-8  |  Basil Leaves, Torn By Hand Into Small Pieces
To Taste  |  Salt And Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
2 ¼ Cups  |  Boiling Water
1 ½-2 Cups  |  Stale Bread, Cut Into Bite-Sized Squares
To Garnish  |  A Fresh Basil Leaf For Each Serving
To Garnish  |  Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, Shredded

Directions: 

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil, the garlic cloves and the chopped celery. Stir until the garlic is soft and add the chopped tomatoes, the basil leaves, salt and pepper. Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes.

2. Pour in the boiling water and fold-in the stale bread. Boil, covered, for about 40 minutes over a very low heat, gently stirring occasionally.

3. Serve soup hot in a bowl and top with a basil leaf and some shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

Yields: 3-4 Servings

Love this recipe? We want to hear from you!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Tortilla Roll-ups Recipe

Tortilla Magic

When life brings us tortillas, we love to make tortilla roll-ups!

With no baking and just 3 ingredients, it doesn’t get any easier to make this time-honored family appetizer favorite that’s perfect for summertime gatherings.

Foodie Tips:

• If you’re slicing your kalamata olives by hand be careful as they could have pit fragments – even if using pitted olives.
• You can substitute kalamata olives with black olives if you prefer a milder taste.
• We added 1-2 leaves of hand-torn basil onto the tortilla before rolling (shown below) and it was delicious! You can introduce a few ingredients of your choosing (shaved ham or sliced shrimp and avocado, etc.) to create your own signature roll-up.

Ingredients: 

8 Ounce Block  |  Cream Cheese, Softened
½ Cup  |  Kalamata Olives, Chopped
5-6  |  Flour Tortillas

Directions: 

1. In a medium-sized bowl, let your cream cheese rest at room temperature until softened (at least 30 minutes). You can slice it into 1-inch chunks to help expedite the softening process.

2. Add the olives to the cheese and fold well with a rubber spatula.

3. Place a schmear of the cream cheese mixture onto a single tortilla and spread evenly, leaving about ½-inch gap between the cheese and the edge of the tortilla to prevent a cream cheese blow-out during rolling. You can adjust the amount of cheese mixture to your preference; we like to use enough to yield at least ¼-inch – ½-inch of cheese mixture.

4. Roll-up your tortilla. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into ½ inch wheels; the two ends of the tortilla are usually not as pretty as the middle and make great treats for the chef and nearby foodies. Transfer the roll-ups to a serving dish.

5. You can serve the roll-ups right away or cover and chill them for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.

Yields: 25-30 roll-ups. 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Joe’s Bruschetta Completa Recipe

❤ Valentine’s Day 2014 Featured Post ❤

Bruschetta Completes Me

As an avid traveler to Italy, I fell in love with the simplicity of Italian foods.

While Italian bruschetta (sounds like “brew-ske-tuh“) may sometimes omit the tomato mixture, this is my own recipe for making a tasty and simple tomato bruschetta that’s sure to “complete you,” (hence the recipe’s name – a personal term of endearment). I usually serve this bruschetta as an appetizer, although I’ve been known to enjoy a few slices as my main course as I love tomatoes and bread.

Foodie Tips:

• I found my ciabatta at my local Austin HEB. It comes in loaves or mini-loaves. I prefer to buy the thickest loaves I can find. If you have a personal favorite Austin artisan bread company that you like, share the love.
• I strive to serve my bruschetta fresh out of the oven. I know I’ve prepared my bruschetta perfectly when the bread is warm and the tomatoes are just a bit cool; it’s a great combination! You can also serve this dish at room temperature. To prevent soggy bread, top the toasted bread with the tomato mixture just before serving.

Ingredients: 

3  |  Roma Tomatoes, Seeded and Chopped
1  |  Garlic Clove, Peeled and Pressed (or minced)
6-8  |  Fresh Basil Leaves, Torn by Hand
1-2 Tablespoons  |  Extra Virgin Olive Oil (use the good stuff)
To Taste  |  Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Loaf  |  Ciabatta Bread, Sliced Horizontally Then Sliced Into Serving Pieces
Splash  |  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3  |  Garlic Cloves, Peeled and Cracked (yields 4-6 pieces of bread)

What To Do:

1. In a medium-sized bowl stir the tomatoes, fresh minced garlic, basil, oil, salt and pepper. Set aside and let marinate 20-30 minutes.

2. About 20 minutes into the marination, preheat your oven to high/broil.

3. Place your sliced ciabatta on a cookie sheet lined with foil and place a tiny splash of more olive oil on top of the bread.

4. Toast the bread in your oven for 3-5 minutes (please, no burning).

5. While your bread is in the oven, stir your marinated tomatoes then pop them in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill a bit.

6. Remove the bread from the oven. Rub 1-2 slices of bread with a cracked piece of garlic (with fork or hand) and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Rub new cracked garlic cloves on the remaining bread slices (1 garlic clove will yield 1-2 slices of bread).

7. Top bread with your fresh tomato mixture and serve.

Buon appetito!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Valentine’s Day? Visit our post called “Valentine’s Day The Home Style Way” for our ideas for how to make your day extra special at home. We’re pairing our favorite appetizer, main course, desserts and wine along with some great “at-home” movie recommendations sure to melt hearts.

Joe’s Original Red Sauce Recipe

Be Still My Heart

Try my family recipe that’s the perfect mash-up of Italy and Texas!

The sauce infuses an Italian red sauce with the tongue-tingling taste of Texas, compliments of our friend – the jalapeño. Bold and spicy, the sauce is a favorite, so it won’t last long. Put some in a Mason jar and share it with your new best friend for life. Make their tummy smile!

Ingredients:

1 Pound  |  Ground Chili Beef
1 Pound  |  Ground Hot Italian Sausage
3 Tablespoons  |  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Palm Full  |  Fennel Seed
8 – 12 Cloves  |  Minced Garlic
2  |  Seeded and Chopped Fresno Chili Peppers or Red Bell Peppers or Italian Cherry Chili Peppers
2 Medium  |  Chopped White Onions
4 – 5 Medium  |  Chopped Jalapeños
1 Cup  |  Dry White Wine
4 Cans (28 Ounce Size)  |  San Marzano Style Tomatoes
To Taste  |  Gray Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
8 – 12 Sprigs  |  Finely Chopped Marjoram
¾ Cup  |  Finely Chopped Parsley
12 Leaves  |  Chopped Basil Leaves
Garnish  |  Parsley, Basil, Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Garnish  |  Garlic Texas Toast ~ This. Is. TEXAS!

What To Do:

1. Brown the meats together over a medium-high heat. Drain and put into an 8 quart stock pot.

2. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat.

3. Add the fennel seed, garlic, chili pepper, onion and jalapeño and sauté for 5 minutes.

4. Transfer the vegetable mixture into the stock pot.

5. Add the wine and tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon.

6. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, marjoram, parsley and the basil.

7. Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and reduce the sauce for 30-45 minutes before serving.

Foodie Tips:

• Fresno Chili Peppers may be a little hard to find at your local market. No worries! You can substitute them with Red Bell Peppers or Italian Cherry Chili Peppers.
• Serve atop your favorite pasta, pizza, meatball, crostini or eggplant.
• You can use this sauce as your secret ingredient in a mouth-watering, memorable lasagna.
• You can omit the meat for a tasty meatless sauce … it’s just as flavorful!

This recipe will generously serve an Italian-sized family of up to 12, depending on how it’s served and how loose their clothing is.  :)

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ This recipe was featured on our special 2014 Valentine’s Day Menu Board. Learn more!