All over the Mediterranean people are making many savory breads and brioches every time of the year and surely at holiday seasons. This is an unbelievable no knead cheese bread that will blow your mind.
The only thing that’s needed is patience.
You can substitute and use any cheese you like, you can add ham or bacon you can add spices and herbs of your choice, it’s such a versatile recipe.
I’m giving you the basic one, hugs and kisses!
Ingredients (24cm springform) (Adapted recipe from Anissa
Helou’s cookbook Savory Baking from the Mediterranean)
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup of warm water (pleasantly warm)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cup kasseri cheese (you can use any sharp cheese you like, you can add some parmesan too)
1 cup crumbled feta
How to make
Using a bowl combine honey with the warm water. Stir and add the yeast. Stir with fork or plunger and add one cup of flour with the salt. Mix well, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the top, cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. This is our sponge.
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup of warm water (pleasantly warm)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cup kasseri cheese (you can use any sharp cheese you like, you can add some parmesan too)
1 cup crumbled feta
How to make
Using a bowl combine honey with the warm water. Stir and add the yeast. Stir with fork or plunger and add one cup of flour with the salt. Mix well, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the top, cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. This is our sponge.
Using another large bowl add the melted butter and add one by one the eggs. Add the sponge and mix using a whisk until all the ingredients are well blended.
Gradually add the rest of the flour adding milk in between additions, whisking until you have smooth and thick batter.
Cover and let it rise for 1 hour.
Add the cheeses and some pepper and fold using a spatula to incorporate the cheeses.
Butter your spring form pan.
Pour the mixture into the spring form pan and lightly press on it with the back of a spoon or spatula to distribute it evenly.
Cover with buttered plastic and let it rise again about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 F, uncover the bread and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until well risen and golden all over.
Let sit for 15 minutes and then unfold. Serve it warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!