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Soft Italian Flavored Bread

Author: Juli

Ingredients

  • 20 g fresh yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 200 ml warm water
  • 3 tsp olive oil
  • 300 g spelt flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 200 g ham cubes
  • 1 cup dried tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup cheese of choice - I like to use a mixture of mozzarella and gouda
  • 1/2 cup spring onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp rosemary
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add the sugar - set aside for 5 min
  • Give all the dry ingredients (but not the salt) in a bowl and add then first the liquid yeast and then the olive oil
  • Incorporate well
  • Now cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel and put in the oven at 50ºC for about 10 min
  • Give all the ingredients for the filling in a small bowl and mix everything well together using your hands
  • In the meantime the dough should have doubled
  • Add a little flour and knead the dough with the ball of your hand and the put again in the oven covered with the dishtowel for another 10 min
  • Then add again a little flour and the remaining salt, knead well and divide the dough in two balls with a 1:2 ratio
  • Take 2/3 of the dough and add the filling. Knead with your hands until the filling is well incorporated
  • Now roll the remaining dough onto a flat, floured surface until it's big enough, place the filling on it and cover with the dough. You should see only plain dough now
  • Place the bread on a baking rack and bake in the over for about 25 minutes at 180ºC

Notes

You can store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Of course you can fill the dough with whatever you like I'd just recommend not to go gaga with too moist ingredients. Or you will always have a sodden core. Don't use too many fresh tomatoes or too much mozzarella. Olives would be a nice add in as well.
And I've come to realize than many people are afraid to use yeast. Don't be! There are only two rules: Keep it warm but not too warm (50°C at the highest until you bake it) and treat in kindly - aka careful but vigorously kneading is a must. You can all do this! I promise!