This is one post that has been sitting in the drafts for months now. It’s been giving company to couple of other bread recipes, all of which I baked for the ‘We Knead to Bake’ group. I am clearing my drafts and finally this bread is ‘going out to the world’.

I have no idea how much a bread can change this world – but if it can make your world better even by the tiniest amount, I would be happy. So bake this for your spouse, for your children, for your friends and for yourself. Pair it with a bowl of soup and relish it for a cosy dinner.

And the smile on your face will make this world a whole lot happier :-).

Happy Baking!

Recipe Source: My Diverse Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 3 cups          : All purpose flour (Might need 1/2 glass more)
• 2 tsp            : Instant Yeast (If using active dry yeast, you need to ‘proof’ it)
• 1 tsp             : Salt (or to taste)
• 75gm           : Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup       :  Milk, warm
• 2 eggs

Vegetables preparation

• 1 tsp            : Oil
• 1/3 cup      : Capsicum, chopped
• 1/3 cup      : Tomatoes
• 1 cup           : Onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup       : Cheese, diced (Cheddar recommended, but I used pizza cheese)
• 1/3 cup       : Mixed nuts (Walnuts, almonds, hazel nuts)
• 1 1/2 tsp     : Powdered Black pepper
• 1 tsp            : Dried Thyme

Method:

1. I used a food processor for making the dough. But this can be prepared by hand as well.
2. If you are using active dry yeast, then you need to mix it with the warm milk and a spoon of sugar and set aside for 10 minutes until its froths up. If the yeast doesn’t foam, then discard and start afresh.
3. Tip in 3 cups of flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of the processor. Pulse. Add butter in small cubes and pulse till mixed well.
4. Add the warm milk and mix. Beat the eggs lightly, add and process till mixed.
5. You will now have a soft and sticky dough. You might have to add a bit more flour – a little at a time, till the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Do not add more flour than necessary.
6. Take it out, knead for a minute or two till you have an elastic, smooth dough. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until double in volume, about 1 to 2 hours.
7. Prepare the vegetables. Finely chop the onions, green capsicum. Chop the tomatoes after taking out the seeds.
8. Heat 1/2 tsp oil. Add chopped green capsicum, tomato and salt to taste. Saute for a minute or two till the vegetables are done, but still crunchy. Take off the heat.
9. In the same pan, add 1/2 tsp oil and saute the onions with a pinch of salt until it turns golden brown. Take off the heat, add to the capsicum mix and keep aside.
10. Chop the nuts. Grease an 8” kugelhopf mould or bundt pan well. Place some of the chopped nuts in the bottom of the mould.
11. Once the dough has risen, deflate it with a single punch. Flatten the dough and add the cheese, onion – capsicum mix, the remaining nuts, black pepper and thyme over the dough. Fold the dough and knead it till the vegetable – cheese mix is incorporated into the dough.
12. Roll out the dough into a log, so that it fits into the bundt pan. Place it in the pan, ensuring that the edges meet. Let the dough rise till it reaches the rim of the pan.
13. Preheat an oven to 200C/ 400F. Bake the bread for about 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when it is tapped.
14. Take off the pan and let it cool. Slice and serve with a hot bowl of soup.

This is my entry for month long Bake -a- Thon as well.
Check out the linky below for recipes from fellow participants.