Bread and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, between “mystical” union and expression of taste

Since the dawn of time, bread and Extra Virgin Olive Oil have been two foods that have made the history of Mediterranean cuisine, used on the tables of the rich as well as the poor thanks to their irresistible versatility and the strong flavor they are able to impart to one’s meals. Oil-based preparations in bread making have been strongly revalued in recent decades, thanks to the health drive geared toward a ‘genuine and natural diet but one that does not give up taste at all to the pleasures of life. Some rich specialties based on bread dough, were brought directly from the tables of our grandparents, some have been reinvented and customized according to their own taste criteria but always with the support of a tradition more than a thousand years old. “the wine that gladdens the heart of man, the oil that makes his face shine, and the bread that sustains the hearts of mortals” reads a verse from the book of Psalms in the Old Testament, words that well represent the profound value of these precious gifts of nature. And now, let’s arm ourselves with our enthusiasm and go prepare some tasty recipes based on leavened compounds, flour and baked goods, putting in our arsenal strictly quality extra virgin olive oil, as the only one that gives the substantial difference in texture and flavor, as well as our desire to amaze others by winning their palate.

Pizza with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Traditional pizza dough can be enriched with olive oil, which facilitates not only the compound preparation stage, but also that of its leavening, resulting in a greater yield of flavor, better digestibility, and is well suited for longer storage. Olive oil added to the other ingredients gives more fragrance and flavor to homemade pizza, also because baking in a home oven takes much longer than in a classic pizzeria oven. To obtain an excellent pizza with homemade Extra Virgin Olive Oil just follow some simple instructions, which should be studied in depth, however, to train the dexterity of some gestures, especially in the kneading phase.

Ingredients

• 500 g of 0 flour
• 25 g fresh brewer’s yeast
• About 300 g of lukewarm water
• 45 g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• fine salt to taste.

First, arrange the flour in a heap on a work surface with a pinch of salt and add the chopped brewer’s yeast, helping with the warm water. Always pour the salt and olive oil into the center of the dough, incorporating the water as needed, as needed, in order to obtain a smooth, elastic, soft dough that comes away from your fingers. The mixture should rise for about two hours inside a floured baking pan, at least until it is twice as puffy. Once the rising process is finished , knead some more and place the dough on a baking sheet, season it with the ingredients you want and bake at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Focaccia with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Focaccia all’olio is another very tasty and popular baking preparation, enriched in flavor with various typical ingredients that draw on local tradition and its regional variations. This preparation is very similar to pizza with extra virgin olive oil and is considered a must in Italian cuisine, deliciously soft to taste and versatile to combine with other foods. Let’s discover the recipe together.

Ingredients

• 470 g of 0 flour
• 5 g dry brewer’s yeast
• 16 g Sugar
• 230 g lukewarm water
• 115 g whole milk 45 g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 12 g fine salt

Place the flour with a pinch of salt on a pastry board. In the meantime, mix the brewer’s yeast with the sugar and pour the mixture over the flour, gradually adding the water, milk and oil until the dough is smooth, elastic, firm and quite hydrated. The mixture should be left to rise about a couple of hours in a floured pan, in an unlit, slightly preheated oven or with a blanket. to let it rise in a warm place. When the mixture is about twice as puffy, knead some more, spread the dough on the oiled baking pan and create dimples in the dough with oiled fingertips. Season with salt and bake in the lower part of the oven at about 200 degrees for about 25 minutes.