Coca de Olivada

This dish is a variation on the classic Spanish flatbread, or Coca. It can be made from scratch with homemade dough, or for a quicker preparation, you can use pre-made pizza dough or flatbread drizzled with olive oil and just omit the dough process and the first baking.

Ingredients (4 Serves)

For the Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 whole eggs

• 4 teaspoons dry yeast

• 1 tablespoon lard

• 3/4 cup lukewarm water

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons salt

For the Olivada

• 2 cups Hojiblanca black olives

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoons capers

• 4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

• 1/2 cup Manchego cheese, cut into 1" chunks, plus extra Manchego for grating

• 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1/4 cup fresh basil

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

• 1 small dried chili or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

• Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

For the Dough

Preheat oven to 475 F.

Mix the yeast with lukewarm water and set aside in a warm place to proof for 5 minutes. 

In a mixing bowl, mix salt and egg then add in the yeast mixture and whisk in the olive oil.

In another small bowl, add lard and 1/2 cup flour and work together with your fingers until fully mixed. In a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add salt, egg, and yeast mixture, 3 cups of the AP Flour and half of the lard mixture and slowly start to mix.

As the dry ingredients begin to combine with the wet ingredients, slowly add the rest of the flour and remaining lard/flour mixture and paddle until it forms a ball. Once the dough forms a ball, increase the speed to medium and paddle for five minutes.

Remove the dough to a bowl greased with olive oil and cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 45 minutes in a warm place. While the dough is rising, prepare the olivada.

For the Olivada

Combine all ingredients, except the Manchego cheese in a food processor and pulse for 2 minutes, then add the cheese, making sure to set aside a nice chunk for grating; continue to process. We're looking for a rustic and somewhat chunky olivada that is not too smooth, but smooth enough to be spreadable. Remove from the food processor and set aside.

To Complete

Lightly grease a large cookie tray with olive oil.

Divide the dough into four even sized balls and working one at a time, on a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin to roll the dough into a long, thin sheet. Unlike a pizza that is round, the coca is generally long and thin, like an elongated football. We're looking for less than a 1/4" in thickness and about 14" by 6" in size.

Carefully transfer the dough, one at a time to the cookie sheet and lay flat, then using a fork, poke a few holes to keep it from puffing up too much in the oven. Bake each dough for 4-6 minutes, or until they start to take on some color, then remove from the oven and spread with the olivada. Finish with a fine grating of Manchego cheese using a microplane then return to the oven for another 4-6 minutes.

Cut each Coca into a few pieces and enjoy immediately or set aside to cool, they can be easily reheated or enjoyed at room temperature.