Crusty on the outside with a soft, fluffy centre, this traditional Greek feta bread will be a household favourite.
Helena and Vikki Moursellas’ Tiropsomo with Olives
Crusty on the outside with a soft, fluffy centre, this traditional Greek feta bread will be a household favourite.
Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, Sydney-based cookbook authors and twin sisters Helena and Vikki Moursellas share their recipe for traditional Greek Tiropsomo.
Tiropsomo is a Greek feta bread you’re likely to find at rustic tavernas dotted along the Mediterranean. Derived from the words "tiri" meaning cheese and "psomi” meaning bread, this flavoursome version from Helena and Vikki Moursellas is filled black olives and crumbled feta.
Crusty on the outside with a soft, fluffy centre, this comforting dish is an easy way to fill your home with the smell of freshly-baked bread – it requires little kneading and can be prepared and baked on the same day.
Here, the Tiropsomo is served topped with fresh figs and Greek honey, but it’s just as delicious when used to mop up your favourite sauce or soup.
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Build Your Own Table Bundle with Turmeric, Lavender and Turmeric.
Ingredients
- 375 ml (1 ½ cups) lukewarm milk
- 7 g dried yeast
- 400 g (3 cups) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 3 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 70 g (½ cup) pitted black olives, sliced in half
- 100 g Greek feta, crumbled
- Fresh figs, sliced, and Greek honey, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Place a 22cm cast iron pot into the oven to preheat.
In a large jug, combine milk and yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and rosemary. Add the milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until you have sticky dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour to prove or until doubled in size.
Knock back the dough, pour oil over the dough and use your hands to incorporate the oil into the dough. Gently fold in olives and feta until you have a smooth, oily dough.
Lift dough onto a large piece of baking paper and carefully place into the preheated cast iron pot.
Bake the Tiropsomo for 40–45 minutes until the loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool slightly before serving.
Serve with figs and honey.
For more from Helena and Vikki, follow them on Instagram at @helenaandvikki
Photography by Alisha Gore. Styling by Audrey Won.
