Eliopsomo is based on a traditional Cypriot Olive Bread. I have made a few changes to the original recipe which is included in my Cookbook “Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste” as well as in Volume 2 of my e-book.
I know that I said that I will be on hiatus for a short while and I will still continue for a short while but whenever I can, I want to post a few recipes which are suitable for Easter Lent.
I first made an Elioti (see recipe here), in which I added feta and rosemary and liked the combination of these two ingredients that I included them in the bread as well. If you want to make the recipe “nistisimi” Lenten, just omit the feta.
With the same dough and filling you can also make some olive turnovers.
Eliopsomo me Dendrolivano (Olive Bread with Rosemary), recipe by Ivy
Preparation time: 1 hour
Resting time: 1 hour
Baking time: about 1 hour
Makes: 2 breads
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 1 kilo all purpose flour
- 32 grams fresh yeast or (8 gr.)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- Lukewarm water, about 1/3 cup
- 1 cup tangerine juice
For the filling:
- 500 grams throumbes olives pitted and cut
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 200 grams feta, crumbled
- Smoked Paprika
- Freshly grated black pepper
- Olive oil to brush on top
Directions:
- In a bowl dissolve the yeast with water, add sugar and 3 tbsps flour and mix. Cover with cling film and set aside to rise.
- Attach the dough hook to your mixer and put the remaining flour in the mixer bowl, with salt and olive oil. Mix to absorb olive oil and add tangerine juice until the dough forms a ball around the hook and does not stick on your hands. Add water if necessary.
- Cover with a napkin and place in a warm place and allow to rise. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
- Line a bread tin (30 x 10 cm / 12 x 4 inches) with parchment paper and place the dough to fill half of the tin, pressing and arranging it to spread and flatten. Cover and set aside for the bread to rise again. Brush with olive oil and bake in a preheat oven to 180o C / 350o F about one hour.
Note: If you do not want to bake both breads, you can freeze it and bake it another day.

Eliopsomo me Dendrolivano (Olive Bread with Rosemary)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 kilo all-purpose flour
- 32 grams fresh yeast or (8 gr.)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- Lukewarm water, about 1/3 cup
- 1 cup tangerine juice
For the filling:
- 500 grams throumbes olives pitted and cut
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 200 grams feta, crumbled
- Smoked Paprika
- Freshly grated black pepper
- Olive oil to brush on top
Instructions
- In a bowl dissolve the yeast with water, add sugar and 3 tbsp flour and mix. Cover with cling film and set aside to rise.
- Attach the dough hook to your mixer and put the remaining flour in the mixer bowl, with salt and olive oil. Mix to absorb olive oil and add tangerine juice until the dough forms a ball around the hook and does not stick on your hands. Add water if necessary.
- Cover with a napkin and place in a warm place and allow to rise. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
- Line a bread tin (30 x 10 cm / 12 x 4 inches) with parchment paper and place the dough to fill half of the tin, pressing and arranging it to spread and flatten. Cover and set aside for the bread to rise again. Brush with olive oil and bake in a preheat oven to 180o C / 350o F about one hour.
Notes
Note: If you do not want to bake both breads, you can freeze it and bake it another day.
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
Jessica Murphy
Tuesday 1st of May 2012
This post contains useful information which helps us a lot. I have never seen such a great post. Your wonderful post can inspire a lot and helps us. I visit your website often and share with my friends.
Jean
Saturday 7th of April 2012
I had a bread like this in a restaurant a while back and still remember the greatest taste of olive and rosemary fusion.
-Jean
fimère
Friday 6th of April 2012
une tranche ne serais pas de refus! bonne soirée
Banana Wonder
Thursday 5th of April 2012
Mmmmm what a nostimo looking and sounding psomi. I am so going to make this. I love everything rosemary... alas I will have to wait until Pascha. Still fasting for the most part over here.
Reeni
Thursday 5th of April 2012
Your bread looks super delicious with all those wonderful olives! What a treat Ivy!