Well yes, I really got the hang of making homemade loaf bread! I think the advantage is obvious to everyone because it will not only be much more genuine but also more fragrant! In fact, if you’ve ever looked at the ingredients of any brand that makes sliced bread, you will surely have read that they are all, and I mean all, treated with ethyl alcohol, which inevitably releases that unpleasant chemical smell! Making your own loaf bread at home instead will give you the opportunity to experience how its home scent will intoxicate you not only when it’s freshly baked, but every time you open the container or the bag in which you have stored and preserved it! Since I made the first sweet version with beetroot, my husband has been asking me to make it again, and so, for The Granary Column, I thought of this delicious spinach idea! A very soft Greek yogurt dough that embraces a second dough rich in spinach, creating an impressive swirl effect when cut! Don’t you find it hypnotic? I love it, and I already know that I will want to experiment with a thousand variations playing with the natural colors of many vegetables present in nature according to their seasonality! In the meantime, I tell you that it is not too difficult to make if you follow all the steps in my recipe, and then you won’t believe how good it will be when paired with cold cuts and cheese! Each slice will be an invitation to create a thousand different snacks. For example, we enjoyed it for dinner with fresh cheese spread on top whose pairing, I shouldn’t even underline it, will win you over at the first bite! It will be perfect to take to a picnic on these sunny spring days, to stuff with grilled vegetables or simply to enjoy in its pure form, because it is so delicious that it needs nothing else!

Other neutral or sweet bread ideas to try:

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 18 Hours
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 14-16
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

8 3/4 oz (250 g) All-purpose flour (I use Caputo Nuvola)
7 oz (200 g) Greek yogurt
2 oz (60 ml) Oat milk (or cow's milk)
1 tsp (3 g) Active dry yeast
1 tsp (4 g) Salt
8 3/4 oz (250 g) All-purpose flour
8 3/4 oz (250 g) Baby spinach
1.7 oz (50 ml) Water
1 1/2 oz (40 ml) Oat milk (or cow's milk + 2 tablespoons for spinach)
1 tsp (3 g) Active dry yeast
1 tsp (4 g) Salt
2 tsp (5 g) Flaxseeds
2 tsp (5 g) Black sesame seeds
2 tsp (5 g) Sesame seeds
2 tbsps (10 g) Oat flakes
as needed Oat milk (for brushing)

Tools

1 Stand Mixer
1 Strainer
1 Dough Scraper
1 Pan
1 Lid
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Sieve
1 Mixer
1 Work Surface
2 Bowls
1 Rolling Pin
1 Brush
1 Loaf Pan

Steps

Start the night before by preparing the doughs. Wash the spinach under running water, then wilt them for 4′-5′ in a pan with 1 3/4 oz of water covering with a lid (fig. 1 and 2).
Turn off the heat, let them cool slightly and drain in a sieve, pressing with a spoon if necessary to ensure the spinach releases all their water* (fig. 3).
Once cooled, transfer them to a food processor or blender and blend them in batches with 2 tablespoons of oat milk until you get a thick and homogeneous cream (fig. 4 and 5).
In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine the sifted flour with the yeast and mix (fig. 6).
Create a well in the center and pour the entire spinach mixture in. Work for a few minutes on medium speed using the hook attachment, then gradually add the oat milk, leaving about 2 tablespoons aside, and continue to work for a few more minutes (fig. 7 and 8).
At this point, also add the salt with the remaining milk (fig. 9).
Turn on the stand mixer again and let it work until the dough is smooth. Transfer the still rough dough onto a floured work surface (fig. 10 and 11).
Form a smooth dough ball, using a dough scraper (fig. 12).
Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature and then in the fridge on the lowest shelf overnight (fig.13).
Now work on the second dough. Sift the flour and mix it in the stand mixer bowl with the yeast, create a well in the center and pour in the Greek yogurt (fig. 14 and 15).
Use the hook attachment and work on medium speed for a few minutes, then gradually pour in the oat milk, leaving a tablespoon aside, and continue to work (fig. 16).
At this point, as with the first dough, add the salt last together with the remaining milk, then work until smooth and transfer the still rough dough onto the floured work surface (fig. 17 and 18).
Form a smooth dough ball, using a dough scraper (fig. 19).
Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature and then in the fridge on the lowest shelf overnight (fig.20).
The next morning, let both doughs acclimate to room temperature for about 2 hours, then let the white dough slide onto the floured work surface, stretch it with your hands to form a rectangle (fig. 21). Fold the dough in thirds, folding one side towards the center and then the opposite side towards the center, forming a narrower rectangle (fig. 22).
Fold the dough over itself, then shape it into a sphere by rotating it on the work surface. This step is crucial to ensure regular rise during leavening (fig. 23).
Place the dough ball back in the bowl and let it rise in the switched-off oven with the light on for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume (fig. 24).
Do the same with the spinach dough, stretching it on the work surface and then folding it in thirds (fig. 25 and 26).
Then, fold it over itself (fig. 27).
Shape it using a dough scraper and place the dough ball in a covered bowl to rise in the switched-off oven with the light on for about 2 hours (fig. 28 and 29).
After the leavening time, both doughs will have doubled in size (fig. 30).
Stretch the white one first on a floured surface with your hands and then with a rolling pin, forming a rectangle about 27×35 cm (10.6×13.8 inch) (fig. 31 and 32).
Brush the surface with some water (fig. 33)
Do the same with the spinach dough which should be stretched and placed on top of the Greek yogurt one (fig. 34 and 35).
Then, very gently, roll them from the longer side, sealing well on the sides and pinching with fingers (fig. 36).
Transfer the rolled dough into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and put back in the switched-off oven with the light on to rise for 2-3 hours or until it reaches the edges of the pan**. Then, brush the surface with a little milk (fig. 37 and 38).
Sprinkle with the mix of oat flakes, flaxseeds, and white and black sesame seeds (fig. 39).
Bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F (180°C) for 35 minutes or until lightly golden, then remove from oven and let cool before removing from pan (fig. 40).
Once cooled, you can slice it!
And voila… your Greek yogurt and spinach swirl loaf bread is ready to enjoy!
Enjoy from La Cucina di FeFè!

Storage

👉You can store the spinach loaf bread at room temperature inside a glass dome or a container with an airtight seal for 3-4 days. It will stay soft.

Tips, Notes, Variations, and Suggestions

🟣*Spinach: It’s very important for the success of the recipe that the spinach is well squeezed, so just letting it drain is not enough. To be sure, once cooled, I use the method of squeezing them by hand until all the cooking water is eliminated.

🟣** Don’t rush the last rise, please! Until the dough reaches the edges of the pan, it will not be ready to be baked, so if 2 or 3 hours were not enough, wait longer until the dough has doubled in size.

THE COLUMN

The Granary–Baking time, is the column that every first and third Thursday of the month offers a basket full of incredible and irresistible ideas, many recipes that you can see by visiting the official pages of Facebook, Instagram and also Pinterest

If you are cooking enthusiasts like us, we invite you to put on your apron and replicate our recipes! If you do, don’t hesitate to write to us for advice and suggestions, and let us know if you liked them, please! Now I leave you to the preparations of my talented colleagues: