OTTAWA -- If you're a newcomer to bread-baking, food specialist Korey Kealey has a fun, and easy, twist to add “festive and delicious” to your table.
Her gift; it’s easy!
You don’t even have to make bread dough, you can cheat with commercial pizza dough.
Kealey’s adding comforting carbs to your menu, in the form of a 'Festive Greek Bread Ring' that’s baked to “pull apart”.
This is the right recipe for the season, and this time in history.
“I choose this recipe because it’s very interactive in the preparation and enjoyment, and potentially, in creating a new family holiday tradition, and favourite, that’s affordable, and surprisingly simple,” says Kealey.
Kealey says the recipe can be adapted, and you can add your creative flare.
She wanted a merry Mediterranean feel.
“Half the fun is deciding what flavours and colours to combine in this decadent appetizer….use your imagination. We chose Greek style with fantastic olive oil, feta, and red peppers or pink peppercorns.”
And after turning out onto a platter, Kealey suggests a drizzle of balsamic vinegar in the centre of the ring, mixed with the oil for additional dipping pleasure.
Or you could substitute with melted butter. Butter never disappoints.
Festive Greek Bread Ring
- 1 lb pizza dough, fresh or thawed from frozen
- ½ cup good quality olive oil or melted butter
- ½ cup finely crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup finely chopped green onions
- 2 tbsp finely minced parsley or spinach (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tbsp crushed pink peppercorns
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Salt, to taste (we love Maldon Salt)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, optional
Divide pizza or bread dough into equal sized pieces (about 24 pieces) If you wish to make smaller bites...that is great too.
In a medium bowl, combine olive oil or melted butter, feta, onions, parsley, garlic, red peppers (and/or) peppercorns and lemon zest
Working in batches, toss a few pieces of dough into the oil mixture then transfer to a bundt pan.
Repeat until all pieces are coated and evenly distributed in the bundt pan.
Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow it to rise. (if prepared and refrigerated in advance, allow it to stand at room temperature for at least 60 minutes.)
When ready to bake:
Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Carefully turn the bread ring out onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle balsamic vinegar into the centre of the ring.
Serve warm or hot.
“This is also delicious served with hummus in the centre, for dipping,” says Kealey.
Greek Style Shishito Peppers
If you are looking for a lighter appetizer this holiday season, Kealey suggests an app made with the popular Shishito pepper now available from Ontario producers.
“The mild peppers are the perfect deep green colour to enhance your festive menu. Amazing tossed with a little salt or add some seasonings to dress them up. Use stem to pick up peppers...eat the entire pepper...discard the tough stem,” says Kealey.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 4-5 minutes
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tbsp minced green onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp finely chopped parsley or spinach
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp crushed pink peppercorn (optional)
- 1 package (227g) whole Shishito Peppers (stems attached), washed and dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt , to taste (we love Maldon salt)
In small bowl, combine cheese,onion, olive oil, parsley, zest & pink peppercorns; set aside until peppers are cooked.
In a medium bowl, toss whole peppers with olive oil. This can be done well in advance of preparation/serving.
Over high heat, preheat a heavy bottom 12-inch frying pan (cast iron is ideal) until water drops sizzle and evaporate. Immediately toss in whole peppers (and turn on your fan.)
Let peppers sizzle and blacken (about 2 minutes) then flip and allow the other sides to blacken as well (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle with salt & cheese mixture.
Place pan on heat safe board and enjoy.
Kealey suggests you make extra cheese mixture because it is incredibly delicious on pasta.
