Recipe for Christmas Tree Balls with Olive Oil and Aged Olives

Mix the yeast with 100 g of warm water and 50 g of flour, let it ferment for 30 minutes (tip: preheat the oven to 40 or 50°C, turn it off, and place the bowl of yeast inside; the yeast will bubble and rise more quickly and reliably!).

In a mixing bowl or the bowl of your mixer, combine the remaining flour with salt, sugar, and olive oil. Add the yeast and the remaining (cold) water. Knead for about 10 minutes, the dough should pull away from the edges and be supple.

Peel and cut the pears into small cubes. Sauté them in a tablespoon of olive oil with honey until they are slightly caramelized.

Chop the equivalent of 2 tablespoons of rosemary. Pit the olives and cut them in half.

Cut the cheese into small cubes. Mix the pears with the cheese, half of the chopped rosemary, the nuts, and the olives. Set aside.

Peel and cut the onion in half, then into thin slices. Sauté the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil, stirring frequently. Add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper and let it caramelize on low heat for a few minutes. Set aside.

Take the dough to form balls of about 5 cm in diameter. Make a hole in the ball and insert a bit of a mixture of cheese, pear, rosemary, nuts, and olives, then close the ball and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat the process as many times as necessary to form a tree (the balls should not touch, as they will expand).

Let rest for 1 hour in a place sheltered from drafts (in a turned-off oven, for example).

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Brush your tree with olive oil. Sprinkle it with the remaining chopped rosemary and caramelized onions.