Yes, it's ANOTHER tasty bread recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. *Dreamy Sigh*
Spinach Feta Bread is scrumptious served with a light soup, such as . It's also very good toasted with roasted garlic butter, on the side of pasta. Or just tear off a hunk and start snacking on it. It's pretty good no matter which way you go!
HERE'S ALL IT TAKES
Makes four 1-pound loaves. You can easily double or half this recipe.
- 1 cup packed cooked spinach (I used blanched spinach, squeezed dry)
- 3 cups luke warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoon granulated yeast (or 2 packets)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- cornmeal for pizza peel
- 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 remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy duty stand 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.
- Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
- 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.
- 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 a ll four side, rotating the ball in a quarter-turn as you go. Then form a oval-shaped loaf. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 20 minutes to an hour, or 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough.
- Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450ºF, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
- Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash parallel cuts across the loaf, using a serrated bread knife. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before eating.
- Slide the loaf directly onto the hot baking stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time.
- Allow to cool before slicing or eating.
I’m so happy I finally got my book!!!!! it took so long though… I was getting worried. I’m already beginning to read it although I have been making the Deli style rye bread that you posted a couple of weeks ago almost every day… I’m not kidding!!! I don’t have a big family but my two teenage girls are loving it so it just disappears too fast, a batch of that recipe will last me about 1.5 – 2 days and then it’s gone… now I’ll be able to do more recipes. YAY!!!!
Kennys Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day arrived!
*happy dance*
Oh man I need to make another batch of AB5 — especially if it’s like this. What fabulous loaves of bread. Not sure I’d need dinner after sitting down with this. Toasted…
No doubt we can make a meal with this bread! with a bowl of olives, jazzy olive oil, a wedge of cheese, fat juicy chunks of fruit, and your favorite red wine…*mouth watering*
man, I hate when I start dreaming of dinner before I’ve had breakfast.
I would love to make this but do not know what cornmeal for pizza peel is?
Hi Julie,
The cornmeal is used to provide a non-stick coating between the rising dough and the pizza peel. It’s mentioned in direction #5.
If you do not have a pizza peel nor a pizza stone, a cookie sheet works well, too. Do not skip the part about creating steam in the oven. That’s essential for having a thin crispy crust.
Hi Jill!
I made this last night, and didn’t realize at first that it was for multiple loaves… i measured out the 6+ cups of flour, and was like “WOW, this is going to be an insanely large loaf.”
anyway, it turned out AMAZING. only thing i’d do is probably add more cheese, and not crumble it as much, so it was more visible. THOUGHT about adding cooked ground sausage or chopped olives, but thought i’d make it as per the recipe first before i messed with it.
i have GOT to get that book- i’ll use your link when i do
THANK YOU, SETH!
The Spinach Feta Bread and the Challah recipes are my favorites from the book. Oh and the Buttermilk Bread, too.
I’ve been putting off trying the no-knead breads – this recipe convinced me to try, and I’m glad I did. We enjoyed it a lot! Thanks!
has anyone tried using wheat pastry flour or 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour/ 1/2 all purpose flour? I’ve never made bread besides banana or cornbread but I’m interested in using more whole wheat in my diet…
Hi Kaitlin!
Before you start making breads, I HIGHLY recommend you get yourself a copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It’s the perfect book for folks that are not experience yeast bread bakers. I routinely bake bread from this book that turn out a success. There are plenty of recipes within this book that call for whole wheat and are truly healthy. The authors came out with a second book last year called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It, too, is full of whole wheat breads, gluten-free recipes and more. I own both copies.
Do you see the ad for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day in the far right sidebar? Click on the image and you will be directed to Amazon. Read what others are saying. I bet you can pick a copy for a great price and be baking artisan style breads by next week.
Hi Jill,
This bread is awesome! I made some for a party last weekend and everyone asked for the recipe. I told them about Jeff & Zoe’s books and said I would copy the recipe for them…did a search and found it right here on your blog! So I have sent the link to them and hope you get another few visitors. I love both their books and have been cooking from them for about 6 months now.. Just made the Christmas stollen recipe and wrote about it last week on my page. Thanks for sharing! Bonnie
Hi Bonnie!
I know just how you feel about Jeff & Zoe. I use ABin5 routinely; it’s a part of me. Did you know they are coming out with a Pizza & Flatbreads book next? I just read on Zoe’s facebook page that she just turned in the manuscript the other day. The new book is expected out by the summer of 2011. I can’t wait to own it!
thank you so much for this lovely recipe. i made it and i enjoyed it so much. i loveeee feta so this was perfect for me and this is the first bread i made myself. i cant believe how easy it was i will def try alote more bread recipes. nothing better then freshly made bread that creates a lovely smell in your house. thanks again jill