Rustic Spinach Feta And Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes ... |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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As much as I love cooking, I consider myself a baker at heart. I’ve been baking since I was a young girl at the side of my mother – learning how to make cookies and cakes from scratch – and following her instructions for quick breads and yeast breads as well. Read more . My mom makes killer (oh my goodness) yeast rolls and loaves and she’s taught me well. For the past 3 years, I have really gotten into artisan breads. There’s something so comforting and pleasing about crisp, hearty crusts and that dense, full-flavored interior that makes artisan breads the perfect accompaniments to lunch or dinner, or a treasure to be savored all on their own. I have been making this particular bread recipe for over a year now. It’s delicious and flavorful…plus it’s beautiful and colorful. When it comes from the oven it’s crusty and a real delightful study of textures. I like serving slices slightly warm with a lovely compound butter (which I also love toying with). Once bagged, the crust softens due to the moist density of the loaves. Given that, I really like slicing it up and toasting the slices and pairing them again with a compound butter or various toppings. I am currently perfecting other bread recipes, using the base for this one as the starting point. When I get those to the point that wins me over completely, I will share those as well. I love making a double batch of this bread to share – but if you choose to do so - *note* - make the batches separately. In baking – and in some dishes – it’s not wise to just double everything up and expect it to work to your expectations. Once you have your ingredients ready, it’s best (and not so hard) to make two batches. ALSO – this is a low-knead bread and the dough will be sticky. Refrigerate the dough lightly covered for at least seven hours or overnight before forming into loaves and it will be so much easier and you’ll get a better rise and result. The recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois’s Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day. Use a good bread knife and this bread will give you the slice thickness you want. Enjoy! Ingredients:
1.5 cups packed cooked fresh spinach (i always sauté mine in a dry heavy weight skillet) |
3 cups lukewarm water |
1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (about 1 1/2 packets) |
1 tablespoon salt (i use a good sea salt) |
1 cup crumbled feta cheese |
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar |
6 1/2 cups all purpose flour |
cornmeal for pizza peel (or use heavy baking sheet with cornmeal – i use two and cook two loaves at a time) |
my adds |
cracked black pepper to your taste |
red pepper flakes gently crushed between your fingers to release their oils (about 1.5 teaspoons) |
2/3 cups chopped smoked sun-dried tomatoes (the soft pack – not in oil) |
Directions:
1. Mixing and storing the dough: Squeeze the cooked spinach through a strainer (or put in a clean tea towel and twist the towel) to get rid of excess liquid.
2. Mix the yeast, salt, spinach, cheese, sugar, black pepper, red pepper flakes and smoked sun-dried tomatoes with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
3. Mix in the flour with little kneading, using a spoon, into a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty mixer (with dough hook). If you’re not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
4. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2-2.5 hours.
5. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold (my suggestion). Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days. (I’ve never let it go 7 days, but I’m sure it will turn out great if you do so.)
6. On baking day and if dough is refrigerated: Quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel (or a good, thick baking sheet) for 1 hour (or just 40 minutes if you’re using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).
7. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty boiler tray on any other shelf that won’t interfere with the rising bread.
8. Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour. (BIG NOTE: I do NOT do this as I think the flour takes on a weird burnt taste in the high-heat oven. Do what you will – but I skip this flour sprinkle) and slash a cross or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before eating.
9. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone – or place baking sheet with risen loaves in oven.
10. *Important* Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray or small baking pan, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.
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