Halloumi Cheese, Olive, and Mint Bread

Making of dough

Proofing yeast

• In a bowl, add lukewarm water and sugar and mix.
• Add yeast and mix.
• Let it sit for 10 minutes until the yeast activates.

Making Dough

• Once the yeast is activated, in a large bowl add the flour and salt.
• Add the yeast mixture and mix everything.
• If your yeast mixture has not bloomed properly the yeast is dead and you would need to work with new yeast. At times even before the expiry date, it is dead. So always bloom the yeast and check before adding in the dough.
• Now in a wide bowl or your stand mixer add the sifted flour
• Add in the bloomed yeast mixture and give everything a mix.
• If you are kneading it with your hand, take the dough mix to a clean kitchen working area.
• Knead this for a good 5-10 minutes until the dough comes in together.
• If using a stand mixer just knead the dough using the kneading hook slowly
• First on slow speed until the dough is well incorporated and then on high speed for around 5 minutes.
• Knead the dough until you form an elastic dough. If you form a dent the dough should spring back in a few seconds.
• For stand mixer follow the same, by kneading on medium speed until the dough is elastic.
• Now form a rough ball from the dough.
• Grease the bowl of a stand mixer or a wide bowl.
• Keep the bowl covered in a warm kitchen location. One can even keep the bowl in the oven/microwave with oven/microwave switched off and oven door closed.
• Let the dough rest for 75-90 minutes until double.

Preparing the ingredients.

• Chop the onions and green onions.
• Crumble or chop the Halloumi cheese.
• Pit the olives and chop them into small pieces.
• Preparing the dough
• Once the dough has doubled in size deflate it a bit.
• Now add the chopped onions, green onions, halloumi cheese, cheedar/mozarella cheese if using.
• Add yogurt, olive oil, and mint.
• Add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and a tablespoon of nigella seeds.
• Gently incorporate everything in the dough.
• Do not overmix.

Shaping and preparing the bread for baking.

• Grease the bread pan of your choice, with a little oil.
• Add the mixed bread dough into the pan.
• Top it with the remaining sesame seeds and nigella seeds.
• Cover and let it rest for 60-70 minutes.

Baking Bread

• Preheat the oven to 200 Deg Celcius / 392 Deg Fahrenheit without fan.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
• The bread is done when you insert a knife and it comes out clean that is no dough sticking. If you have dough sticking bake it further for 5-10 minutes checking every 5 minutes.
• You might see some liquid down from the cheese and the veggies, but the bread is baked if there is no dough sticking.
• Once baked, let it rest in the bread pan for at least 5-10 minutes.
• Once done enjoy it warm. You can either let it cool and slice, or enjoy it warm.
• For me, it was more like a tear and share bread, as I enjoyed it warm.