I think it is quite clear by now that I absolutely love Mediterranean, and especially, Italian flavours. So it should be no surprise that these Sundried Tomato and Olive Ciabatta Sticks are one of my all time favourite savoury bread recipes. I should warn you, if you love these flavours too, you will not be able to resist these. They are super addictive.
We love eating them warm from the oven with a little butter. And when we can actually stop ourselves from eating them all at once, they make the perfect accompaniment to a cheese or charcuterie board. They’re super delicious dipped in hummus, or simply a little extra virgin olive oil.
Whichever way you prefer to eat them Sundried Tomato and Olive Ciabatta Sticks, I would strongly suggest making a double batch. They’re just to good to resist. The texture of these Sundried Tomato and Olive Ciabatta Sticks are not like breadsticks at all. They are not crisp. They have a delicious golden crust, but the interior is soft and airy. Resembling the same texture as a Ciabatta loaf.
Some of you might know that I have been on a mission over the last couple of years to support and create awareness about local retailers and small businesses who might not be aware of. One of my favourite go to online retailers is The Olive Basket. Almost every item used in this dish was supplied by The Olive Basket. Please do check out their amazing curation of local and imported products on their website.
Sundried Tomato and Olive Ciabatta Sticks
Ingredients
- 3 Cups White bread flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 10 grams Instant dry yeast
- 1¼ Cup Luke warm water
- 1½ Tbsp Olive Oil Plus extra for greasing the bowl
- 1 Cup Pitted Olives I use a mix of green & calamata olives
- 100 grams Grated Parmesan, Cheddar or Gruyere
- 50 grams Sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1 Tbsp Dried Italian or Mediterranean mixed herbs
- 1 Clove of garlic, crushed or ½ tsp garlic powder Optional
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients, chop the olives and sundried tomatoes and grate the cheese. Set aside
- Add the salt and flour to a large mixing bowl, then add the yeast
- Add roughly ¾ of the luke warm water and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the dough starts to come together
- Add the remaining water and mix for 5 – 8 minutes, then add the olive oil and mix for an additional 3 minutes
- Add the olives, sundried tomatoes and cheese to the dough and mix through until they are well distributed
- Add and spread a little oil in the bowl to prevent the dough from sticking, cover and let rise for 1 – 2 hours, until doubled in size
- Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 220°C. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with baking paper and set aside
- Sprinkle a liberal amount of flour onto your surface and turn the dough out onto it, then gently stretch the dough out by hand into a rectangle (do not use a rolling pin as you want to maintain the air bubbles)
- Next cut the dough into 8 roughly even strips
- Gently stretch each strip to around 20 – 30 cm long and place them onto the lined baking sheet(s), leaving a little space between each. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for 15 minutes
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until a golden crust has formed
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