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Kirchoff's Deli and Bakery's garlic spinach Bread

Source of Recipe

Courier-Journal


List of Ingredients

3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 package dry yeast
4 to 5 cups flour
2 cups water
1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed tightly
1 clove roasted garlic (see note)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (do not use processed cheese)
Butter as needed (to grease bowl and loaf pans)
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water





Recipe

Fit electric stand mixer with a beater paddle. In a large mixer bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups of flour.

Heat 1cup water until just under 120 degrees. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour warm liquid into dry ingredients until blended. (Water will cool a bit, preventing it from killing the yeast. If you start with cooler water, the yeast won't activate.) Scraping sides and bottom of bowl may be necessary for complete blending. Then increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes, scraping sides as necessary.

Meanwhile, place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high 1 to 2 minutes, or until leaves are wilted. Drain off any liquid. Beat into bread dough; beat in garlic, remaining 1 cup water, whole wheat flour and ½ cup Parmesan (reserving remaining ½ cup to sprinkle over loaves).

Remove beater paddle, and fit stand mixer with a bread hook. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes. Continue to beat in remaining flour until dough is soft and manageable.

Turn out on heavily floured surface, and knead dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about five minutes. Shape into ball, and place in buttered ceramic or glass bowl, turning to grease all sides of dough. Cover with plastic wrap, and set bowl in warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour.

Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into two pieces. Let rest, covered by the bowl, about 15 minutes.

Grease two 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pans with butter. Set aside.

Lightly flour rolling pin, and roll each dough half into a 12-inch-by-8-inch rectangle. Roll rectangle, from the short end, into a log. Place each roll, seam side down, into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees. (It's important to heat the oven long enough that it will not cool significantly when the door is opened — at least a half-hour is best.) Brush tops of loaves with beaten egg and water. Sprinkle each loaf with ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped with fingers.

Makes 2 loaves.

To roast your own garlic, cut off the tip of the pointed end of the garlic to form a flat surface. Drizzle garlic with olive oil, wrap in foil and place in 325-degree oven for 1 hour or until the cloves are soft. Squeeze the garlic out of its papery husks and mash it.

This is excellent when served with a crusty bread and olive oil, bagel chips or crackers. The slow-cooking removes garlic's bitterness, leaving a tangy flavor that's well worth the minimal effort required for roasting.