Bread Machine (144 page)
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- OR 2-POUND-LOAF MACHINES
For the dough:
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4
cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups bread flour
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2
teaspoon salt
1
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4
teaspoons SAF yeast
or 1
3
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4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
For the filling:
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cups shredded Monterey Jack (6 ounces)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
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cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 egg white, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for glaze
To make the dough, place all the dough ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Program for the Dough cycle; press Start. If the yogurt is very thick, be prepared to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the dough. The dough ball should be smooth, slightly soft, and elastic.
Meanwhile, make the cheese filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Spray 8 cups of a nonstick standard muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray. At the beep, remove the dough from the pan and turn out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough in half, then further divide each half into quarters to make 8 pieces. Using a rolling pin, and on a work surface lightly dusted with flour to prevent sticking, roll out each portion into a 7- to 8-inch round, about
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inch thick. Alternately, you can press each section of dough with your palm and stretch the dough if you don’t have a small rolling pin. Fold the dough lightly into quarters and transfer to a muffin cup. Unfold the dough and press to fit into the cup, leaving a skirt of dough draped over the sides. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese filling into the dough, mounding it higher in the center. Pick up the skirt of the dough and pleat in loose folds laying over each other over the filling. You can leave it folded flat or gather up the top ends and twist into a small knob. Repeat with all the portions of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Brush the tops of the breads with the egg white glaze. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the pan to a rack and cool in the pan 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. These can be frozen for up to a month in plastic freezer bags. To serve, defrost in the refrigerator in the bag, then warm in a 300°F oven for 8 minutes to soften the cheese. Serve immediately.
Bread Machine Baker’s Hint: Optimum Temperatures
To ensure proper rising, it’s preferable to use room temperature ingredients (that includes eggs) and ever-so-slightly warm liquids when loading a bread machine. There is some leeway here; many bakers report using cold eggs and liquids straight from the refrigerator with room temperature flours and yeast with great results. The dough will just rise slower. To counteract warm climates, or during the summer, place the baking canister in the refrigerator to chill it before adding the ingredients which can be cold. Machines with preheat cycles can have ingredients layered into the bread pan straight out of the refrigerator.
F
eta cheese is always associated with Greek cooking. It is a firm white sheep’s milk cheese that crumbles easily and holds its shape during baking. It is stored in brine, so feta should be rinsed in cold water before using. If storing it again, cover it with fresh water. Feta has a strong salty nature, so you don’t need to add as much salt to this dough as to others. Because of its strong flavor, a little feta goes a long way. With only a quarter the fat of a cheese like cheddar, feta and bread made with it are suitable for lowfat diets. You do not need to cook the frozen spinach to prepare it for this recipe. After it is thawed in a colander, just squeeze out the excess water with your fingers. This loaf, known as
spanakópsomo
and traditionally made with wild greens, is not a sandwich bread—it is too delicate. Instead, serve this bread with red wine and olives before dinner. I like it with omelettes or with a roast lamb meal, served with roasted garlic—infused olive oil for dipping. This bread has a beautiful aroma while baking.
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2
-POUND LOAF
7
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8
cup water
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cup frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups bread flour
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
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teaspoon salt
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4
teaspoons SAF yeast
or 2
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4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
2-POUND LOAF
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8
cups water
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups bread flour
5 ounces crumbled feta cheese
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tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2
1
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4
teaspoons SAF yeast
or 2
3
/
4
teaspoons bread machine yeast
Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start. (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)