Olive Days Bonus Materials
Have a drink, spin some songs, make a challah,
and prep for your book club or just a cozy night of reading. 
Themed cocktail & zero-proof recipes, meal and snack ideas from the book, Rina's challah recipe, a bespoke playlist, and book club questions are all here.
To invite Jessica to your bookclub, click here.

Rina's Challah Recipe

Shosh broke the eggs one at a time into a small bowl used only for that purpose, checked for any spots of blood, then slid each clean egg into the large wooden mixing bowl, the only treasure Rina had claimed when her grandmother died.

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Ingredients:

• 2 oz. fresh yeast OR 4 packages dry yeast

• 3-1/2 cups warm water

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1-1/2 tbls. salt

• 1/4 tsp. turmeric

• 13 to 14 cups flour

• 6 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 cup oil

• 1 egg yolk + 2 tsp. water, for glaze

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Method:

Yields 4 loaves, can be halved. Rina would separate (or "take") a one-ounce piece of dough before baking, say a blessing, and burn it like an offering in the back of the oven. Read more about the custom here. 

• Dissolve yeast and one tsp. sugar in the warm water. Let sit for ten minutes. If it doesn't foam, throw it out and start again.

• Add the rest of the sugar, salt, turmeric, and half the flour. Mix well.

• Add the eggs and oil, then slowly stir in most of the remaining flour...humid climates will take more flour, dry climates less. Dough will become thick.

• Knead for ten minutes. Dough will be elastic and spring back when pressed. Click here for kneading tutorial.

• Place dough in a large oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for two hours, punching down after the first hour.

• Divide dough into four parts, and then divide each part into three equal parts and form into balls. Roll each ball into a rope, about 14" long.

• Braid each loaf from three ropes of dough, starting at the middle and working down one side, pinching the ends and tucking them underneath, then flipping the loaf and braiding the other half, finishing the same way. Click here for braiding tutorial (braiding from middle technique starts around 37 seconds). Place loaves in well-greased pans or on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Cover and let rise 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

• Whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tsp. water. Brush each loaf lightly with the glaze, being careful to get all surfaces but not let it pool at the seams.

• Place in oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes, or until lightly browned and hollow sounding when you knock your knuckle on the bottom.

• Cool on wire racks.​​