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surprise bread

Homemade Greek Surprise Bread

A surprise bread revisited with Greek flavors, ideal for a friendly aperitif or buffet. Discover a variety of traditional Greek mezzes hidden in delicious country bread. Perfect for impressing your guests and transporting them to Greece for a meal.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rest time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Course Aperitif
Cuisine French, Ελληνικά
Servings 8 people
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 big bowl
  • 1 Bowl
  • 1 Damp laundry
  • 1 Floured work surface
  • 1 Oven
  • 1 Hob
  • 1 Parchment paper
  • 1 Bread knife
  • 1 Cookie cutter for the bread
  • Small bowls for garnishes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for the Bread:

  • 500 gr bread flour
  • 300 ml lukewarm water
  • 1 packet of dry baker's yeast
  • 1 T to c. sugar
  • 2 T to c. this
  • 2 T to s. olive oil

Ingredients for the Topping:

  • 200 gr tzatziki
  • 200 gr tarama
  • 150 gr feta cheese
  • 150 gr graviera (or kefalotyri)
  • 150 gr kasseri
  • 200 gr Red peppers grilled
  • 150 gr louza (dried pork tenderloin)
  • 150 gr pastourma (dried beef with spices)
  • Kalamata olives for decoration

Instructions
 

Instructions for preparing the Bread:

  • In a bowl, mix the yeast and sugar with a little lukewarm water. Let sit for 10 minutes until the mixture foams.
  • In a large salad bowl, mix the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the activated yeast and olive oil.
  • Gradually add the rest of the lukewarm water while mixing until you obtain a homogeneous paste.
  • Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  • Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Oil your cookie cutter then flour it. Degas the dough. Then put your dough inside and wait until it grows a second time and forms a ball. Be careful that it doesn't overflow, then move on to the next step in the meantime.

Baking Bread:

  • Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom. It also depends on the type of oven.
  • Let cool completely on a rack.

Preparation of Toppings:

  • Cut the feta, graviera and kasseri into small pieces.
  • Cut the roasted red peppers into strips.
  • Arrange the louza and pastourma into thin slices.

Assembling the Surprise Bread:

  • Once the bread has cooled, cut the top of the bread to create a "cap" and carefully scoop out the inside of the bread, leaving a thick crust.
    Start by going around the inside of the crust and then making three incisions that meet in a Y shape with your knife one centimeter below the base of your bread. The large block of crumb should then come out normally. Feel free to watch the video for this step.
  • Fill the small sandwiches with the different fillings: tzatziki, tarama, pieces of feta, graviera, kasseri, strips of roasted red peppers, and slices of louza and pastourma.
    The goal is for your slices to be thin and to hold together. If you are not very comfortable, use small ready-made pots of tarama and tzatziki type cream and spread.
  • Then put the different sandwiches back into the crust of the bread.
  • Replace the “cap” of the bread.
  • Decorate with kalamata olives or the remains of your sauces on the side so that your guests can eat the crust of your bread at the end.

Nutrition

Serving: 150grCalories: 350kcal
Keyword aperitif, Greek cuisine, mezzé, Surprise bread, tarama, Tzatziki
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