Make your own Cheese and Spinach bread loaf at home. The structure of this bread recipe turns it into an easy cheese filled pull apart loaf. Use cheese, spinach and then try any of your favourite spices.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Australian cottage cheese
80g Australian reduced fat vintage cheddar, grated
100g frozen spinach, thawed as per packet directions
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
30g Australian reduced fat dairy spread
2 cups wholemeal plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup Australian buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
3 teaspoons sesame seeds
Method
Mix together the cheeses, spinach, spring onions, garlic and pepper.
Rub the spread into the sifted flour and baking powder until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add buttermilk and stir until just combined. Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead lightly and shape into a 20cm log.
Cut dough into 10 slices and pat each slice out into rough 10cm rectangles.
Spread the spinach mixture evenly over nine of the rounds and then arrange them into stacks of three.
Line the base and sides of a 20cm loaf pan with baking paper.
Stand the loaf tin upright on the short side and place a stack of dough into the short side of the tin, continue stacking the dough on top of each other to fill the tin and then finish with the 10th plain round on top.
Brush the top of the loaf with buttermilk, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in a 200°C oven for 30-35 minutes, until brown and cooked through. Serve warm.
Tips & Hints
This loaf makes a warming and delicious accompaniment to winter soups. It will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days and is fabulous toasted in a sandwich press to freshen.
