Feta cheese bread Recipe
- 1 tbsp fast action dried yeast
- 600ml/20fl oz warm water, plus extra for the yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1kg/2lb 4oz strong bread flour
- 30g/1oz salt
- olive oil, for greasing
- knob of butter, for greasing
- 60ml/2fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- 350g/12oz feta, crumbled
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- handful fresh mint, chopped
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- 75g/2¾oz unsalted butter
- 100g/3½oz honey
- 250g/9oz medjool dates
- 1 tbsp shelled pistachios
- Dissolve the yeast in a little of the warm water. Add the sugar and gently mix.
- Mix the flour and salt, then place in a pile onto a clean work surface. Make a well in the centre of the flour.
- Add the remaining water and the yeast mixture to the well in the flour and mix, from the centre outwards, to form a dough.
- Knead the dough for 7-8 minutes, until it stops being sticky. (The dough is ready when it stretches out between your hands without breaking.)
- Oil a bowl with the olive oil and place the dough into it. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for at least two hours. The mixture should double in size during this time.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and, using your hands, knock it back, to reduce the size of the dough.
- Add the oil, feta, freshly ground black pepper and mint and knead into the dough, until completely combined.
- Divide the dough into four equal-sized portions, then shape into loaves.
- Place the loaves onto a floured baking tray. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise at room temperature for 40-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.
- Brush the loaves with the beaten egg.
- Place into the oven to bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through and golden-brown. Remove and leave to cool.
- For the honeyed dates, place the butter and honey into a pan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and add the dates and pistachios and cook for two minutes.
- To serve, slice the loaves and serve the honeyed dates in a bowl alongside.
