from Molly Beverly
12 servings
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/3 cup olive oil
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white)
2 pounds spinach or other greens
2 cups onion finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tablespoons cumin seeds toasted OR 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup feta cheese drained and crumbled
Combine water and honey in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes. Then add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1 cup flour. Mix well, cover and set aside in a warm place to rise for one hour.
Rinse greens and slice thinly or chop coarsely. Heat 2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and sauté onion over low heat until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Add cumin seed or powder, garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to onion. Slowly stir in greens and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until soft.
You’ll need 1 1/2 cups liquid drained off the greens, so it’s OK to add a bit of water if needed while cooking. Sprinkle with lemon juice and drain in a colander over a bowl. Reserve cooking liquid. Set aside.’ In a large bowl, place 2 cups flour. Pour in the yeast sponge. Mix well and knead 10 minutes. Add liquid from cooking greens (1 1/2 cups needed) to make a soft dough. Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
Punch down and add crumbled feta. Knead to mix. Add spinach mixture, adding remaining flour. Dough will be moist and loose. Mix but do not knead.
Split dough in half. Form each half into a ball. Then oil each half generously with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until 50% larger.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Just before placing bread in oven, spread into disks and dimple with fingers. Brush with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.