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feta-spinach-kefir-sourdough-bread

Feta Spinach Kefir Sourdough Bread

A naturally fermented sourdough loaf made with real kefir, folded with wilted spinach and salty crumbled feta. Savory, Mediterranean, and beautiful when sliced.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
17 hours
Total Time 18 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 Serving
Course: Baking, Sourdough
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 183
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams bread flour
  • 150 grams plain whole milk kefir
  • 180 grams water
  • 100 grams active sourdough starter
  • 9 grams fine sea salt
  • 100 grams fresh spinach wilted and squeezed dry
  • 120 grams feta cheese crumbled
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoons extra flour for tossing add-ins

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale for accurate flour, kefir, and water measurements
  • Large mixing bowl for mixing and bulk fermentation
  • Small pan for wilting the spinach
  • Clean kitchen towel for squeezing excess water out of the spinach
  • Dutch oven traps steam for a crisp, golden crust
  • Bench scraper helps handle and shape the dough
  • Lame or sharp razor blade for scoring the top of the loaf
  • Wire cooling rack air flow under the loaf as it cools

Method
 

  1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk 150 grams plain whole milk kefir, 180 grams water, and 100 grams active sourdough starter together. Add 500 grams bread flour. Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  2. Add salt: Sprinkle 9 grams fine sea salt over the dough. Pinch and fold until fully worked in. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
  3. Stretch and fold: Do 2 sets of stretch and folds, 60 minutes apart.
  4. Add spinach, feta, and garlic: Wilt 100 grams fresh spinach, wilted and squeezed dry in a dry pan for 2 minutes, cool, then squeeze out excess water. Toss the spinach, 120 grams feta cheese, crumbled, and 2 garlic cloves, minced in 1 tablespoons extra flour for tossing add-ins. Press the dough into a rectangle, scatter on the add-ins, then fold and do one more stretch and fold to distribute evenly.
  5. Bulk ferment: Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature until it grows by about 50%. This takes 4 to 270 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is.
  6. Shape the loaf: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round or oval loaf. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or bowl lined with a towel.
  7. Cold retard overnight: Cover the banneton and place it in the fridge for 8 to 480 minutes. This builds flavor and makes the dough easier to score.
  8. Preheat and score: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Turn the cold dough onto parchment paper (this catches any leaking feta). Score the top with a sharp blade.
  9. Bake: Place the dough into the hot Dutch oven with the lid on. Bake 45 minutes covered, then remove the lid and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until deep golden brown.
  10. Cool completely: Move the loaf to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 60 minutes before slicing. Cutting too early makes the inside gummy.

Notes

Wilt the spinach in a dry pan for about 2 minutes, then squeeze out as much water as possible with a clean towel before adding it to the dough, this step matters more than it seems, since wet spinach will make your dough too sticky to shape. Store the baked loaf at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze sliced for up to 3 months.