Spinach Bread (pane Agli Spinaci)

Total Time: 4 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (scant)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (18 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, but liquid reserved
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (freshly grated, please)
• 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (500 g)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt (12 g)

Recipe

• 1 lightly saute the garlic in oil and cool to room temperature.
• 2 warm 1/4 c of the reserved spinach liquid to just above 100f (105 to 115, ideally).
• 3 stir the yeast and sugar into the warm spinach liquid, let stand until foamy, 10 minutes.
• 4 add remaining 1/2 c spinach liquid, garlic and oil, spinach, and nutmeg and stir thoroughly.
• 5 mix the flour and salt and stir into the spinach mixture.
• 6 knead on a floured surface until dough is well marbled, soft, and velvety, 8 to 10 minutes place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
• 7 the dough will be even wetter after rising because.
• 8 of the spinach.
• 9 pour the dough onto a well floured work surface and flour the top of the dough.
• 10 don't punch it down or try to knead it.
• 11 shape into a round loaf or rolls the size of a fat lemon and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
• 12 cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• 13 preheat oven to 425°f.
• 14 slash a big v on top of the loaf with a razor.
• 15 bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400f and bake the rolls 20 minutes, and the loaf 30 to 35 minutes.
• 16 cool completely on a rack.