Mom's Bellapais Olive Bread - Eftyhia's traditional Cyprus eliopites

One of the things I remember fondly from the years I spent growing up in Cyprus was the baking. Mom would wake up super early on those days, get everything ready and cover her hair with a scarf. She would make her dough in a wooden trough set over the backs of two chairs. We were a family of six and then there were neighbors and relatives she liked to treat so she made a lot! Or at least that's the way I remember it.
Here is one of her recipes that I managed to write down. Mom cooks and bakes old school. A little of this and a little of that and let it sit 'till it rises. When I asked her how long I should leave them in the oven, "until they're done," she replied. So I baked a batch based on her instructions and recorded the measurements and time for posterity.
Ingredients

2 lbs all purpose unbleached white flour
1/2 lb white whole wheat or whole wheat flour
2 large onions grated in food processor
1 bunch fresh mint leaves minced(1 cup packed)
1lb pitted black morocco, Thasou  or Cyprus or other pruned olives
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water

Directions

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Turn off oven.

Mix white and whole wheat flour in a very large bowl.

Add onion and mint and mix well with flour.

Add the yeast mixture, Olive oil and the remaining 1/2 cup warm water.

Mix well and work until you have a soft, loose dough.

Knead the dough and sprinkle a handful of the olives on the flat surface.

Fold dough over the olives and knead gently. Repeat sprinkling of olives and folding over until you have incorporated all the olives into the dough. Take care not to completely crush the olives. 

 

Prepare two cookie sheets by brushing the bottoms lightly with olive oil . In Cyprus where we had lemon trees mom used to put lemon leaves under each of the breads. If you are lucky to live in a place with lemon trees, try it. It gives a special fragrance to the breads. Divide the dough into two large pieces. Then divide each piece into two. Now divide the four pieces into three each. You will have 12 equal pieces of dough. Shape each one into a small round loaf and place on the cookie sheets leaving enough space between the breads for the rise. You should have six olive breads on each sheet. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil.

Place the cookie sheets in the warm oven. Make sure the oven is turned off. Let the breads rise to approximately double the size about an hour.

Remove cookie sheets from the oven.

Arrange the two oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place both cookie sheets in the preheated oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the breads rise.

Lower the oven to 375 and rotate the cookie sheets. Bake until golden  for about 20 more minutes. Breads are ready when there is a hollow sound when you tap them in the back. Remove from oven  and let cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

 

Maria