Cheesy Tomato Tapenade Party Bread #BreadBakers

Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and olives are blended with garlic to create the filling for this cheesy tomato tapenade party bread. Put it in the center of the table and let everyone help themselves!

At the beginning of what became this unusual year of social distancing and pandemic, I encouraged my Bread Baker group members to claim a month to host and choose a theme. So way back in February, our host Felice decided we should all bake tear-and-share breads. She wrote on our event page: “A Tear & Share, as it is known in the UK, is perfect for a holiday get-together. Sweet or savory, bake a tear & share (aka pull-apart bread) that celebrates the holiday season. It could be the shape, the flavors, or a tradition that fits with this theme.”

Little did Felice – or any of us know – that holiday get-togethers would end up being smaller or indeed postponed. Good thing that baking bread cheers us up!

I chose this bread because of the flavors, which remind me of a favorite party appetizer. Who doesn’t like a rich tapenade spread on tiny toasts? But I also think the shape would be beautiful to display, then share on a holiday table. 

Cheesy Tomato Tapenade Party Bread

The olives are the star ingredient for this pull-apart bread so use the best quality ones you can afford, preferably with the pits still in. I like dry oil-cured olives because the flavor is concentrated and the briny-ness they add really perks up a tapenade. This recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe from his show Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast. 

Ingredients

4 cups or 508g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups or 295ml warm water

1/4 teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the dough bowl and baking

3 1/2 oz or 100g whole black olives (100g was 32 dry oil cured olives)

1 clove garlic

6 soft sun-dried tomatoes (mine were already cut up – a little more than 1/2 oz or 16g by weight)

1 tablespoon drained capers 

3 1/2 oz or 100g Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

Add the yeast and sugar to the measuring cup with the warm water and give it a quick stir. Set it aside for a few minutes to make sure the yeast is active and starts bubbling.

Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the yeasty water in. 

Stir in the flour from the outside to form a dough. I have a handy tool for this but you can certainly use a fork or spatula. 

Sprinkle your clean work surface with flour and knead the dough until smooth and springy, about 10 minutes. Roll it into a ball. Oil the bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and pop the dough ball back in, turning it over to coat the outside with the oil.

 Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or cling film and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for about one hour or until it doubles in size.

Tip: If your kitchen is cold, as mine is right now, add warm water to a larger bowl (or your sink) and place the dough bowl in it. You may have to change out the water for more warm from time to time before the dough is fully risen. 

Meanwhile, pit the olives and peel the garlic. 

Use a mortar and pestle (or a small food processor) to turn them, along with the capers and sun-dried tomatoes, into a rough paste or tapenade. 

Set aside a little of your grated Parmesan for topping then add the rest into the tapenade. I added mine in two lots, whirring in between to combine thoroughly. 

If you are using a mortar and pestle, muddle in four tablespoons of olive oil. If you are using a small food processor, tip add the olive oil and pulse again to combine. 

Once it has risen properly, divide the dough into two equal pieces. (Mine weighed just over 14 oz or 400g each.) Sprinkle your clean work surface with flour and roll one piece into a circle about 11 in or 28cm wide. Line a baking pan with baking parchment or a silicone liner. Transfer the of the dough circle to the pan. 

Spread the cheesy tomato tapenade all over the dough and right to almost the edge.

Sprinkle your clean work surface with a little more flour and roll the other piece of dough into a circle about 11 in or 28cm wide.

Carefully place that dough circle on top of the tapenade and press down gently. 

Put a clean jam jar or drinking glass in the middle of the dough circle. Use a sharp knife to make 12 evenly spaced cuts from the jar to the outer edge.

I pretended mine was a clock and made cuts at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock then tried to make the two cuts in between each as evenly spaced as possible, which as it turns out, wasn’t so even. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter though so just do your best. 

Pick up each piece of dough and twist it three times before putting it back on the baking pan. 

Cover the dough lightly with a damp cloth or cling film and leave to prove again in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. In retrospect, I should have baked this on a round pizza pan because it did rise beautifully. Unfortunately since it couldn't spread in all directions, it turned out a little wider on the sides. 

As you get near the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C. 

Sprinkle the dough with the reserved Parmesan cheese and drizzle on some olive oil. 

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20-25 or until the bread is lovely and golden. 

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for about 15 minutes. Garnish with some little basil leaves, if desired, and serve. 

Enjoy! 

Check out all the other great tear-and-share breads we have for you today! Many thanks to our host, Felice from All That's Left Are The Crumbs.

• Baklava Danish Tear and Share Bread by A Messy Kitchen
• Buttery Soft Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cheesy Chicken Chutney Pull Apart Skillet Rolls by Sneha's Recipe
• Cheesy Tomato Tapenade Party Bread by Food Lust People Love
• Cranberry Cinnamon Star Bread by Making Miracles
• Fruit Mince Braided Star Bread by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Gingerbread Spice Christmas Tree Bread by Passion Kneaded
• Herb and Cheese Star Bread by Ambrosia
• Koledna Pitka - Bulgarian Christmas Eve Bread by Magical Ingredients
• Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Loaf by Palatable Pastime
• Sourdough Finnish Pulla Bread by Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Spiced Chrysanthemum Bread by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Turkey, Cranberry and Cheese Pull Apart Bread by A Day in the Life on the Farm

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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