Loaded Olive & Halloumi Bread

My loaded olive and halloumi bread is loaded with flavor!

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This loaded olive and halloumi bread makes the house smell amazing, and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven while eating it. It’s delicious, easy to make, and customizable to the flavors you love. Don’t be afraid to change the recipe each time to fit your mood or complement a meal! If it feels like there’s a lot of filling, don’t worry. Remember, it’s a loaded bread, and you’ll end up with bits of goodness throughout the bread.

Why this bread is worth making at home

• Crispy crust
• Creamy, stringy, herby cheese
• Salty briny olives
• Simple to make homemade bread loaded with the flavors you love!

Loaded with flavor!

• Active dry yeast
• Granulated sugar
• Lukewarm water
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Semolina flour for pan

The Filling:

• Halloumi cheese –diced
• Feta cheese –crumbled from a block to avoid tasteless pre-crumbled feta
• Shredded mozzarella –you could also use gruyere or gouda cheese
• Scallions –thinly sliced a swirled in a bowl of cool water to release any dirt
• Pitted olives –chopped
• Dried oregano –parsley, thyme, and oregano would be delicious, too
• Olive oil

Optional Fillings

You can truly make this bread your own! I like to have several different kinds of cheese –one that melts, one that’s creamy, and one that holds its texture. However, you can do one type or any variety. Also, if you don’t care for scallions and olives or want to add even more flavor, there are plenty of filling options. Experiment and try some of these:

• caramelized onions
• roasted red peppers –diced
• sundried tomatoes
• poppy seeds
• sesame seeds
• your favorite herbs

Don’t skip this step!

Rarely do I end up with inactive yeast, but it can happen. If you don’t make sure your yeast is active, it could result in your bread not rising. You’d have to throw out your bread with all the ingredients you used to make it! So, always check your yeast. You do this by combining the water, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Set it aside for about 7-10 minutes. At the end of the time, you should see a puffy, bubbly cloud on top of the liquid. That means your yeast is active, and you’re ready to make your bread dough.

How to make loaded olive and halloumi bread

• In the bowl of a tabletop mixer that has been fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the yeast, water, and sugar. Set aside to proof for about 8 minutes.
• Whisk together the flour and salt in a separate large mixing bowl.
• After the yeast has proofed, add the flour mixture to the mixer along with a quarter cup of olive oil, then knead on low for 10 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been greased with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the dough to coat, then cover in plastic wrap and set aside to rise. The dough should double or triple in volume for best results –about 2-3 hours.
• After it has risen, punch the dough down.
• Then, add the filling ingredients and knead the dough with your hands until they are incorporated.
• Form the dough into a ball.
• Preheat the oven to 475 °F, 250 °C.
• Spread the semolina flour inside a cast-iron skillet or on a parchment-lined baking pan.
• Place the dough on top and cover it loosely with plastic.
• Set aside to rise for 30-40 minutes. It will not double in volume this time, but the dough will be slightly puffed.
• Remove the plastic and brush the top with water.
• Then, bake on the center rack for 40-45 minutes or until golden.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Note: Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on the bread while it is cooking. If your oven is too hot and the bread browns too fast, cover the bread loosely with foil and reduce the temperature by 15-30 degrees.

Serving

It will be challenging to wait for this bread to come to room temperature before diving in, but trust me. You’ve put in all the effort, and you don’t want the steam to release making your bread taste doughy and uncooked. So, be strong! HaHa! When you finally get to cut into your bread, enjoy it all by itself since it’s loaded with so much flavor. It almost tastes like pizza, so simply serving it with a bowl of marinara or olive oil would make an excellent appetizer or snack. You can also serve it alongside soups or stews. Enjoy! Kali Orexi!

More Delicious Bread Recipes:

• Homemade Olive Filled Bread
• Horiatiko Psomi: Greek Country (Village) Bread
• Greek Feta Bread: Tiropsomo: Soft & Delicious!
• The Best and Softest Homemade Pocket Pita Bread Recipe
• Koulouria Thessaloniki’s: Greek Bread Rings

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Loaded Olive & Halloumi Bread

Yield: makes 1 loaf

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Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons (6g) active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons (10g) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cups (375ml) lukewarm water
• 4 cups (630g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons semolina flour for pan

The Filling:

• 7 oz (200g) halloumi cheese, diced
• 7 oz (200g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 6 oz (150g) shredded mozzarella, gruyere, or gouda cheese
• 3-4 scallions thinly sliced
• 6 oz (170g) pitted olives, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil

Instructions

Combine the yeast, water, and sugar in the b owl of a tabletop mixer that has been fitted with the dough hook attachment. Whisk them together and set aside to proof for about 8 minutes.

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk them together.

Add the flour mixture to the mixer along with a quarter cup of olive oil. Knead on low for 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been greased with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the dough to coat. Cover in plastic wrap and set aside to rise. The dough should double or triple in volume for best results. About 2-3 hours.

Punch the dough down after it has risen. Add the filling ingredients and knead the dough with your hands until they are incorporated. Form the dough into a ball.

Preheat the oven to 475 °F, 250 °C.

Spread the semolina flour inside a cast iron skillet or on a baking pan that has been lined with parchment. Place the dough on top and cover loosely with plastic. Set aside to rise for 30-40 minutes. It will not double in volume this time. The dough will be slightly puffed.

Remove the plastic and brush the top with water.

Bake on the center rack for 40-45 minutes or until golden.

Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! Kali Orexi!

Notes

Optional fillings:

• caramelized onions
• roasted red peppers, diced
• sundried tomatoes
• poppy seeds, sesame seeds
• your favorite herbs

nehctiOven temperatures vary so keep an eye on the bread while it is cooking. If your oven is too hot and the bread browns too fast, cover the bread loosely with foil and reduce the temperature by 15-30 degrees.

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