Soft Italian Flavored Bread

Sometimes I need bread! And then I need the not so healthy, not so grainy, not whole-wheat version of it. And then I think of yeasty bread!

Growing up I was the baker in our family. My mother has always been a fabulous cook but baking never was one of her strong traits nor was she particularly interested in baking. We both share a strong urge to ignore recipes and I guess she was one too many times disappointed when her baked goods didn’t turn out as desired. So I was appointed the baker and baked my way through all the cookies, breads, stollen and flatbread and of course all the birthday cakes. Except mine. I bluntly refused to bake my own cake and so she provided me with my favorite cake every year.

Anyways this also means I grew up without fearing but appreciating yeast as my friend when it comes to making a soft and smooth dough as pizza dough, for foccaccia and soft breads like this goodie:

Print Recipe

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!

So I am linking up with Laura again today! Let’s find out what kind of #strangebutgood recipes the other bloggers came up with 😀

Have a good weekend and I hope you’ll get some sun as we have here today 🙂