Eliopsomo me Anitho kai Melitzanosalata me Karydia / Olive Bread with Dill and Eggplant Dip with Walnuts

For the last six weeks or so, I've been baking a fresh loaf of bread at least three times a week. How, you ask? Just keep reading ...

... After seeing my grandmother regularly bake loaf after loaf of bread when I was a child and remembering how long she would sit and knead the dough, let it rise, knead again, let rise again, etc., etc., I was certain bread-making was not for me. Then one day I read a post lauding this new book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Then I read another post doing the same; and then another and another and another. Every post boasted of a bread recipe that so simply and easily produces delectable fresh bread, I was left with no other choice than to try it for myself.

Written by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, has created a bread-making revolution and my husband would personally like to thank them for affording him the opportunity to enjoy fresh homemade bread on such a regular basis. Case in point: today's Eliopsomo me Anitho (Olive Bread with Dill), a loaf I made using Zoe and Jeff's Boule method with my own little twist. It turned out amazingly well and it literally took just a few minutes (five, to be exact!) of physical work to make.

There are an infinite number of things you can do with the book's master recipes, so get cracking: there's a ton of bread to be had.

P.S. I whipped up the version of Melitzanosalata (Eggplant Dip) you'll find below earlier today ... it was a great accompaniment to the warm and crusty slices of fresh olive bread.

Melitzanosalata me Karydia/Eggplant Dip with Walnuts

6 small, slender eggplants
2 cloves garlic
1 scallion

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup walnuts

1 roasted red pepper

Juice of half a lime

4 tablespoons olive oil

Roast the eggplants until tender. Slice the eggplants open and scoop out all the flesh. Discard skins.

Combine the eggplant, garlic, scallion, parsley, walnuts, pepper and lime juice in the bowl of food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Add the olive oil and pulse until combined (add additional olive oil to achieve preferred consistency). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread, pita or crackers.