WHB: Spinach And Feta Cheese Yeast Bread (With Nutmeg)
I thought of calling this Popeye's Bread. I'm assuming that most people watched some Popeye cartoons when they were younger, rejoicing when he gained spectacular strength to defeat his enemies after eating canned spinach. I ate canned spinach once, dreadful slimy stuff, so it's clear that Popeye was no foodie. This bread is loaded with lots of spinach and feta cheese, so if you like those flavors, this is the bread for you. Dense and filling, a little goes a long way. I enjoyed it immensely, and used it to make a sandwich with the dwindling tomatoes from my garden.
There's a small amount of nutmeg in the bread, so I think it qualifies for Weekend Herb Blogging, which was created by the amazing Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen. Nutmeg is actually a spice, but Kalyn is flexible on these matters. You may have noticed that mace and nutmeg have similar flavors, with good reason. Mace is a lacey web covering the nutmeg seed, which grows into an evergreen tree found in Asia and Australia.
By the way, next week is the start of the two year anniversary for WHB. So, don't be left out of the big event. Go to Kalyn's site and learn how to take part. But, this week the lovely Haalo at Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once is hosting WHB. She always has gorgeous pictures on her site, so check them out.
This recipe makes one loaf of bread, with two packages of frozen spinach added to the dough. The spinach gives the dough a very distinctive flavor, and adds a lot of anti-oxidants too. It's dense and satisfying, and kept me from eating slice after slice, which I usually do with other bread. But, this isn't a bread for a person new to making yeast breads. The lavish amount of spinach made for an odd dough. It was stiff, moist, but not sticky--and never really came together in an elastic ball like regular bread dough. I kneaded it in my Mixmaster for almost 10 minutes.
The loaf had a thick chewy crust.
My first bite surprised me, as the flavor of the spinach is quite strong. But, it quickly grew on me, and I enjoyed it a great deal.
Spinach and Feta Cheese Yeast Bread
(Adapted from Recipe Zaar)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (18 g)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, but liquid reserved
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (freshly grated, please)
3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or more) (500 g)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt (12 g)
Lightly saute the garlic in oil and cool to room temperature.
Warm 1/4 cup of the reserved spinach liquid to just above 100F (105 to 115, ideally).
Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm spinach liquid, let stand until foamy, 10 minutes.
Add remaining 1/2 cup spinach liquid, feta cheese, garlic and oil, spinach, and nutmeg and stir thoroughly.
Mix the flour and salt and stir into the spinach mixture.
Knead on a floured surface or in a Mixmaster until dough is well marbled, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more flour, if the dough is sticky, but it is OK if it is slightly moist. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
The dough may be even wetter after rising because of the spinach. Pour the dough onto a well floured work surface and flour the top of the dough if necessary. Shape into a loaf and place on a lightly oiled bread pan. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425F. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400F and bake the loaf 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool completely on a rack.
Just perfect! This bread sounds like a clear winner! I am gonna make it for sure.
Posted by: Anh | October 07, 2007 at 05:56 AM
Seriously, that bread looks amazing. What a perfect idea for tomato sandwiches!
Posted by: Lydia | October 07, 2007 at 07:26 AM
Wow! I just love the sound of this. And I can imagine it would be wonderful for a tomato sandwich! I am hoping I might get a few more of my tomatoes to ripen, since it's supposed to warm up a lot here next week, but I might have eaten my last tomato sandwich of the year, sigh.
Posted by: Kalyn | October 07, 2007 at 07:51 AM
Forgot to say, thanks for mentioning the anniversary. I think it's going to be fun! People have the rest of today to enter the contest to predict what the favorite herb and favorite vegetable will be.
Posted by: Kalyn | October 07, 2007 at 07:53 AM
That looks like an interesting bread...very healthy too!
Posted by: Nabeela | October 07, 2007 at 08:49 AM
That is a lot of spinach - but I have to give it a try... The thought of it fresh from the oven slathered in butter - with maybe a bit of chevre.... I think it will qualify as a DO... Gotta run!
Posted by: Katie | October 07, 2007 at 09:53 AM
That looks good and spinach and feta sounds really nice.
Posted by: Kevin | October 07, 2007 at 02:46 PM
OK, aside from the fact that I don't make bread and I shouldn't eat yeast (cuz lord knows I feed my candida well enough with my wine consumption), have I proposed to you yet this week, Sher? I can not believe you did a photo of this stuff with melted butter in progress.
HOWEVER, I think I may have something to contribute here...I was literally just planning a menu in my mini-mind for dinner tomorrow night. Some friends with a P/T home here are coming to town and I get to shop for them and they will have me over for dinner, so I get to buy whatever I want for us to eat. I am seriously considering my favorite food from the local health food store...ground turkey burgers which their man will have to grill. But Sher, the burgers I love the BEST have spinach and feta in them! (The runners up have blue cheese and kalamata olives in them. As much as I would think those would rock my world, they always lose out to the spinach feta. Some things are not meant for our mortal minds to grok.)
Sher, I challenge you to get some ground turkey and put some chopped spinach and feta in it, and then grill it. And then put a pretty photo of it still steaming on your blog and credit me. (Over angel hair pasta with pesto, corn and peas, if it's not too much trouble?)
Thanks.
K Bai
Posted by: mosaic cats | October 07, 2007 at 02:56 PM
I just love the saltyness in feta!
I still use ground nutmeg (in jar)... is the flavor from freshly grated better?
Posted by: gattina | October 07, 2007 at 05:48 PM
hoooooray, a tomato sandwich!! so perfect from your kitchen on some of that beautiful homemade bread you make. shangri-la
Posted by: aria | October 07, 2007 at 07:18 PM
The bread looks so good. I think my kids might even devour it!
Posted by: Karen | October 07, 2007 at 07:46 PM
I am not very experienced with yeast breads but after seeing that piece all buttered up and ready to eat, I may have to start experimenting! It sounds terrific with the tomatoes.
Posted by: sammawow | October 07, 2007 at 08:18 PM
That looks so good...
Posted by: Mallow | October 07, 2007 at 10:12 PM
That looks utterly delicious and perfect! Will be making it this week for sure!
Posted by: Pille | October 07, 2007 at 11:50 PM
This bread looks absolutely gorgeous! I am drooling over your yummy pictures ;-P! I'm going to keep that wonderful recipe...
Cheers,
Rosa
Posted by: Rosa | October 08, 2007 at 08:26 AM
Wow! Wow!! I want to eat this *now*! The pic of the loaf is awesome!
So excited about the big WHB event :)
Posted by: Kaykat | October 08, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Sher, that first photo had me with a WOW and dropped jaw! That is beautiful. I such a spinach lover! Love this.
Yes, Gattina fresh nutmeg is much, much, totally better than the jar!
Posted by: Tanna | October 08, 2007 at 04:08 PM
Yum Yum Yum Yum! I want! I second Mosaic's request -- but I think if you're going to make a turkey/spinach/feta burger, then it should be a BURGER! Angel hairs great,...but,..! And peas and corn? Ewww and ewww!!! Mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, peppers,....mmmm. Check us out - like we're ordering at a restaurant!! Nevermind. I'm trying to fit my jaws through the cable wires to take a bite of your sandwich!
Posted by: Jenn | October 09, 2007 at 01:59 PM
Wow, Sher...this is beautiful bread...great job! And the spinach adds such wonderful color, not to mention nutrients...I am so trying this! :-)
Posted by: Belinda | October 09, 2007 at 05:15 PM
Beautiful Bread..sher. I am awed by how you guys make such wonderful breads. I am even afraid to try my hand at one
Posted by: sandeepa | October 10, 2007 at 08:17 AM
Whoa, this bread looks and sounds awesome! I must try this!
Posted by: maria~ | October 10, 2007 at 09:33 AM
That looks truly divine. I'm sure it smelled incredible while baking!
Posted by: Cedar | October 10, 2007 at 04:29 PM
This bread looks scrumptious, Sher. I think spinach and nutmeg are a marriage made in heaven. In fact, I just made a spinach pie with nutmeg in it! I'll be trying your bread soon too. Thanks!
Posted by: Susan from Food Blogga | October 10, 2007 at 05:35 PM
I'm seriously hoping you made croutons out of the leftovers!
Posted by: s'kat | October 11, 2007 at 07:25 AM
It looks so good! A mediterranean bread I'll sure try!!
Posted by: mayacook | October 15, 2007 at 04:26 AM