Squash Bread with Tomatoes, Onions, & Peppers
Submitted by dyamondlite
Rustic Italian yeast bread made with durum semolina flour and loaded with sautéed butternut squash, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Uses a biga starter for deep flavor and makes four golden loaves.
YIELD
4 loavesPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
5 hrsThis is artisan bread with serious Italian roots. Durum semolina flour gives the crumb a golden color and slightly chewy bite that regular bread flour can’t match. A biga starter adds complexity and depth that same-day doughs just don’t develop.
The vegetables get cooked low and slow before they ever touch the dough. Sautéed onions, tender butternut squash, roasted red pepper strips, and diced tomatoes cool down and fold right into the batter, distributing pockets of sweet, savory flavor throughout every loaf.
Four cylinder-shaped loaves bake up golden and crusty with a soft, vegetable-studded interior. Slice thick for sandwiches, tear off chunks for dipping in olive oil, or toast it alongside a bowl of soup.
Chef Tips
- Make sure the sautéed vegetables are completely cool before adding to the dough. Hot vegetables will kill the yeast.
- Knead with wet hands instead of floured. The dough is sticky from the vegetables and extra flour will make it tough.
- The long rise times (3 hours plus 1 hour) are not optional. This dough needs time to develop flavor and structure.
- For extra heat, fold in a pinch of red pepper flakes with the vegetables.
Ingredients
Directions
About 1 hour before you are ready to make the bread, warm ¼ cup olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onions over medium-low heat until they are soft but still slightly crunchy.
Add the squash and pepper.
Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook another 3 to 5 minutes.
Cool.
Stir the yeast into the water and let proof for 10 minutes.
Add the biga and mix well.
Add the rest of the olive oil. Stir in the cooked vegetables.
Add the flour and salt slowly, mixing until the dough comes together.
Knead with wet hands until the dough is form, velvet and elastic.
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 3 hours.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape into long cylinders.
Place on floured baking sheets, cover and let rise until well doubled, about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden.
Comments
