Savory Stuffed Loaf

Serve this healthy loaf warm with a barbecue lunch for a delightful treat. Recipe makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) packet of white bread mix
2 sachets dried yeast, enclosed in bread mix pack
Milk or beaten egg, to glaze
Filling:
1 pound (500 g) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
4 ounces (125 g) Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 large tomatoes, chopped
4 ounces (125 g) Gruyere cheese, grated
16 pitted black olives, chopped
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

1. Grease a baking tray. Put the spinach in a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until simmering. Cook for 3 minutes, to boil away any excess liquid. Remove from heat. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and leave to cool.
2. Put the white bread mix and yeast in a mixing bowl. Stir in 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water and mix to a dough. Tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Roll out to a 16 x 12 inch (40 x 30 cm) rectangle. Cut in half width ways, to make two 12 x 8 inch (30 x 20 cm) rectangles. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Spread half the spinach mixture down the center of each piece of dough. Scatter the Mozzarella cheese over the spinach, top with tomatoes, sprinkle with the Gruyere cheese, dividing equally. Top each with half the olives and a third of the Parmesan cheese.
4. Brush the edges of the dough with cold water. Bring the edges of each piece over the filling to the middle and seal and flute, or roll the top over, like a pastry.
5. Put the loaves on the baking tray. Brush with milk or egg and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over each loaf. Leave to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and bake for 10 minutes more. Serve warm.

Tip: You can prepare the dough in a large electric mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead the dough for only 2-3 minutes.