I had the urge to make my Zeytinli (Olive and Halloumi bread). I haven’t made it for a while, so I thought, why not! So that’s what I did! I didn’t have fresh coriander left but used the dried mint. I’ve been drinking lots of Kokulu Çay (water boiled with cinnamon, aniseeds and cloves) especially in the evening and this cuppa goes down so well with a slice of my Zeytinli.
Ingredients:
3 eggs
2/3 of a cup of sunflower oil
1 tbs of yogurt
1 cup of milk
2 cups of heaped self-rising flour
1 tsp of baking powder
2 tbsp of dried Mint
1 chopped onions (optional)
A pack of halloumi cheese (diced) save a few for garnish at the end.
A pack 170g of Gemlik olives save a few for garnish at the end (olive stones removed)
A handful of chopped coriander (optional)
Sesame seeds and Nigella seeds to sprinkle on top.
A pinch of aniseed seeds
Method:
Preheat the oven to around 180°c. Line a baking pan with grease proof paper.
Whip up the eggs then add the yogurt, milk and oil and mix until combined. Add in onions, coriander, mint, flour and Hellim. and baking powder and stir well. Pour into a tin, sprinkle with the sesame, nigella and aniseed seeds. Bury a few of the reserved Hellim in the batter and decorate the top with the rest of the olives (this gives the bread a rustic touch) Bake in the middle shelf for around 40-50mins or until the bread is baked. Now go and put that kettle on!
