Spinach Feta bread

There has been so much craze about this book, Artisan bread in five minutes. I have to say I was intrigued. I tried making Jim Lahey's no knead bread, but unfortunately, I didn't have much success with it. I think it might have been due to the fact that I didn't have a proper dutch oven to bake it in. The concept is basically the same for this bread, no kneading at all, but, this time I don't need to use a dutch oven. So I figure It would try it.

I halved the original recipe, knowing that my parents don't care for rustic type breads. The original recipe says it makes four 1 lb loaves. Instead I halved the recipe, and made four 1/2 lb loaves. Little baby boules. The first batch I made the day after I made the dough. The bread was good. It had a nice crust and a very moist inside. I made the second batch about three days later, and it was much better. So if you're thinking about making this bread, I would suggest you make the dough three or four days in advance and let the flavor develop in the fridge.

Spinach Feta Bread
from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Ingredients: Makes four 1lb loaves

1/2 cup packed cooked (lightly steamed, boiled or sauteed), chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp granulated yeast (About 1 1/2 packets)
1/2 tablespoon salt
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 1/4 tsp sugar
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Squeeze the cooked spinach through a strainer to get rid of excess liquid. Mix the yeast, salt, spinach, cheese and sugar with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container. Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, 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.

2. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

3. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days.

4. On baking day: Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and 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 for 1 hour (or just 40 minutes if you’re using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).

5. 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.

6. Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour 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.

7. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, 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. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Note:

• check out the Artisan Bread in five minutes website.
  
• The original recipe uses 2/3 cup of feta cheese for the full recipe. I used 2/3 cup of feta cheese for half the recipe. What can I say, I love feta cheese!