Cretan Bread Rings With Herbs or Spices

awalde's Note:

This is something very easy and successful that you can serve as appetizer with wine or other drinks. You can use your favorite herbs or spices dividing the dough and adding in each part a different kind of flavor and shaping them in different manner. I like them fresh and still soft inside, but you can cook them at lover temperature and longer for “grissini” like ones. For my guests I divided the dough in 4 parts adding anise seeds, coriander, rosemary (fresh) and oregano and y served them with white wine. I like small rings. As in my photos 4 pieces fits on a small espresso plate!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 50 pieces

• 1 cup water, lukewarm
• 3 1/2 cups flour (approximately)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• spices and herbs (choice of)

Directions:

1. Dilute yeast in water, add flour, oil, salt, pepper and work until dough is soft and malleable (if necessary add some more flour). Cover with a towel and leave it rise until doubled.
2. Add herbs or spices (if you want make parts of the dough and add different spices or herbs) and work the dough one more minute.
3. Cut the dough into about 50 pieces. Roll thin strains of about 10 cm (4 inches) of lenght, shape the dough into rings, place in an oiled baking tin, quite apart from each other and allow them to rise again (I place them in the cold oven, with a bowl of warm water to increase the humidity and light onI).
4. Bake at 350°F/180°C until they gain a little color (about 10 minutes). Some poeple prefere bigger rings, in this case they will need at least 15 minutes.
5. Note 1: for soft rings place in the oven a try with boiling water.
6. Note 2: for dry rings reduce the heat and bake until golden. Dry them on a grid.
7. Note 3: make different knot for each kind of spices/herbs.

Reviews

[Annacia]

I love playing with bread dough and I had fun making these yummy creations. The dough is beautiful and easy to work with, not sticky or stiff. I made one with onion poppy seed, one with Italian herb mix, one with garlic and basil and one with black and red pepper. I used the water pan method, which I like a whole lot more than dashing water on the hot oven floor for steam, I got wonderfully textured bread. Thanks so much awald, I love your bread recipes hon! :D

[Debbwl]

A fun and tasty recipe! I am not know for my bread making skills but fallowed the recipe to the letter, the pail ones turn out so light and soft, the darker ones were just as light but were much drier with the only difference being the cooking time. On the darker ones was trying to get that pretty golden color which took 17 minutes and the lighter ones were baked 12 minutes. The rings are Fresh Rosemary with Parmesan topping, the twist are Garlic with Everything topping, the knots are Cajun with Crushed Red Pepper topping, and the rolls are Fresh Cracked Black Pepper with Salt & Pepper topping. I did get 50 little rings total from this recipe and the 3 1/2 cups flour suggested was the right amount. As easy, fun and tasty as these were you know I will be making again. Thanks so very much for the post.

[Nif]

These were a success thanks to awalde helping this non-baking cook! I am trying to make more breads, rolls, etc. and I haven't been having a lot of luck. BUT awalde gave me a lot of tips and hints about baking which I truly appreciate. I added 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of dried chives to half the recipe and Italian seasoning to the other half. Yum! Made for PRMR tag game. Thanks awalde! :)