Mediterranean
Stuffed Bread
This is pure picnic and party fare -- zesty and
chock-full of summery tastes, and good hot, cold, or
at room temperature. Thin, cold slabs work well as
appetizers with wine or sangria; big, warm wedges
with salads make a meal. This may be the most
"gourmet" item you've ever seen come out of your own
kitchen!
Bread
1 recipe French Country Bread or one 2-pound loaf
frozen white bread dough, defrosted
Filling
1/4 cup flat-leafed Italian parsley, finely minced
1/4 cup minced onions and/or scallions
3/4 cup minced sun-dried tomatoes (about 8 plumped
halves)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup chopped black olives (a combination of
oil-cured, kalamata or pitted black)
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled into small chunks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon basil
In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the parsley,
onions/scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic,
olives, feta cheese chunks, olive oil, salt, pepper,
oregano, and basil. Flatten or gently deflate the
bread dough into an oval shape, about 1/2- to
3/4-inch thick.
Press half of the topping mixture onto the bread.
Fold the dough in half and pinch the edges together
to cover the filling. Let it rest for a few minutes.
Flatten the dough again, using a rolling pin, trying
not to force any of the filling out. Press the
remaining filling onto the dough. Fold the dough in
half again, pinching the edges together to cover any
exposed filling (sometimes this doesn't look
perfect, but it works out in the end). The bread
should look like a plumpish, slightly flattened
oval. Smear a little olive oil on the bread.
Line a doubled-up cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Sprinkle with semolina, and place the bread on top.
Cover with a tea towel, and let rise about 45
minutes to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy and lighter than
when it started.
Preheat your grill to Hot. Place the bread on the
grill, put on the cover, reduce the heat to Medium,
and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the bread
is well-browned. (Some of the filling may leak out;
that's OK). Remove the bread from the grill and
serve warm, in wedges, or cold, in thin slices.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.