Pane Agli Apinaci – Spinach Bread

Lightly saute the garlic in the oil and cool to room temp. Warm 1/4 cup of
the reserved spinach liquid to 105x-115xF. –By hand: Stir the yeast and
sugar into the warm spinach liquid in a mixing bowl; let stand until foamy,
about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup spinach liquid, which should
be at room temp., the garlic with the oil, the spinach, and nutmeg and stir
thoroughly. Mix the flour and salt and stir into the spinach mixtue. Knead
on a floured surface, sprinkling with additional flour to absorb the
moisture from the spinach, until the dough is well marbled, soft, and
velvety. 8 to 10 minutes. –First rise. 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.Shaping and second rise. The dough will be even wetter after rising,
because the spinach will have exuded more liquid. Pour the dough onto a
floured work surface and flour the top of the dough. Don’t punch it down or
try to knead it. Shape into a round loaf or rolls the size of a fat lemon
and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise
until doubled, about 45 minutes. –Baking Heat the oven to 425xF. Slash a
big V on toof the loaf with a razor. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat
to 400xF and bake the rolls 20 minutes and the loaf 30 to 35 minutes. Cool
completely on a rack. Chanteclar –suggest that you be sure to use the
frozen chopped spinach – if you don’t you won’t be able to slice the bread.
🙂