On the Menu: Fassolatha and Kalamata Olive Bread

When I was in Greece, I can't recall eating a dish with beans in it. I must have, certainly, but I can't remember doing so.

I mean, I ate pizza in Naxos!

But no beans, I guess.

I'm disappointed because apparently, the Greek national dish is fassolatha - a soup made with beans and other vegetables.

Our stubborn two year old (who insists that he likes beans only to snub them at dinner) was much more excited about the kalamata olive bread I made to accompany the soup.

I found both recipes from the website Lemon and Olives (an excellent resource if you've yet to find Greek food you like!) and tweaked them a bit. I've recopied the recipes here with my modifications and also linked to the original recipes.

Fassolatha (original recipe here)
Serves 6-8

1 lb navy beans (soaked for at least 6 hours before cooking)
1 tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
2 celery stalks, chopped finely
2 carrots, diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley
5 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak beans for at least 6 hours.
2. Sauté onion, carrots, celery in a large pot or Dutch oven for five minutes.
3. Add thyme, undrained tomatoes, half of the parsley, drained beans, and water to the pot. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer.  
4. Simmer for about an hour, or until beans are soft. Serve immediately with the rest of the parsley sprinkled on top.


Kalamata Olive Bread (original recipe here)
Makes 1 large loaf

2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1/2 tbs. yeast, mixed with 1 1/2 tbs water to activate
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbs. honey
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil (plus extra for coating)
1/2 tsp Rustic Italian seasoning blend (or rosemary if you can't find something comparable)
1 cup warm water

1. Activate yeast in 1 1/2 tbs water, if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Add all ingredients to yeast, mix well. Knead for 8-10 minutes, or until a soft dough forms. (I use my Kitchen Aid for this part!)
3. Coat a large bowl with olive oil. Put bread in the bowl and coat top of bread with a little more oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
4. Remove bread from bowl. Place onto a cookie sheet and shape into an oval. Cover and let rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Brush with olive oil for the last five minutes of baking. The bread should be golden brown when done.