Olive braids are made with yeast dough, two kinds of olives, and a little olive oil. The dough comes together with flour, fresh yeast, water, salt, and olive oil, then gets a little time to rise and develop its texture. Once rested, it is divided into strips, filled with black and green olives, and braided into neat little twists.
Serve the olive braids as an appetizer, alongside soups and salads, or as part of a bread basket.
What Are Olive Braids?
Olive braids are small pieces of yeasted bread dough shaped around olives and twisted or braided before baking. Olives have a long history in Mediterranean cooking, where olive oil and preserved olives have been important ingredients for centuries. Across Mediterranean and southern European cuisines, olives frequently appear in breads, pastries, flatbreads, and savory baked goods.
Pro Tips for the Best Olive Braids
- The dough should become soft and smooth after kneading. If it still feels rough and uneven, give it a little more attention before leaving it to rise.
- Excess liquid from the olives can make the dough unnecessarily wet and difficult to handle. Drain them before using them, especially if they have been stored in brine or oil.
- After the first rise, avoid aggressively flattening or squeezing all the air out of the dough. Work gently so the finished bread retains a pleasant texture.
- Arrange the shaped pieces on the parchment-lined baking tray with a little room between them. They will expand as they rise and bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use only black olives?
If black olives are your favorite, you can use them throughout the recipe. The combination of black and green olives adds variety, but it is not essential to the structure of the bread.
Do I need to remove olive pits?
Yes, pitted olives make the braiding process much easier and, more importantly, make the finished bread much more convenient to eat.
Why does the dough need two rising periods?
The first rise allows the dough to ferment and increase in volume before shaping. The second rise happens after the olives have been added and the braids have been formed. This gives the shaped bread another chance to become lighter and puffier before baking.
How to Store Any Leftovers
You can keep them at room temperature for short-term storage. If you expect to keep them for several days, refrigeration can extend their storage time, although the bread may become firmer when chilled. Warm refrigerated braids briefly in the oven before serving to bring back some of their softness.
Ingredients
How to Make Olive Braids
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Add the flour, fresh yeast, and water to a large bowl. Mix everything together using your fingers until the ingredients begin to form a dough. Add the salt and olive oil, then continue kneading until it becomes smooth.
Add the flour, fresh yeast, and water to a large bowl. Mix everything together using your fingers until the ingredients begin to form a dough. Add the salt and olive oil, then continue kneading until it becomes smooth.
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Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to rise for 90 minutes.
Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to rise for 90 minutes.
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Transfer the dough to a clean working surface and cut the dough into strips of similar size.
Transfer the dough to a clean working surface and cut the dough into strips of similar size.
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Take one strip of dough and place the black and green olives along it. Make a slight cut along the dough as you progress to tuck the strips into it. Also, ensure you don’t separate the dough while cutting, a slight cut will suffice.
Take one strip of dough and place the black and green olives along it. Make a slight cut along the dough as you progress to tuck the strips into it. Also, ensure you don’t separate the dough while cutting, a slight cut will suffice.
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Repeat the process with the remaining strips until all the dough and olives have been shaped.
Repeat the process with the remaining strips until all the dough and olives have been shaped.
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Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the olive braids on top. Cover them with a clean cloth and leave them to rise for another 40 minutes. Then, brush each braid with olive oil.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the olive braids on top. Cover them with a clean cloth and leave them to rise for another 40 minutes. Then, brush each braid with olive oil.
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Transfer the tray to a preheated oven and bake at 180°C/360°F for 20 minutes.
Transfer the tray to a preheated oven and bake at 180°C/360°F for 20 minutes.
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Serve and enjoy!
Serve and enjoy!
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