Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Green Onion and Yogurt Bread


I definately like versatile bread recipes and, for me, they usually tend to be slightly sweet. Breads that have a hint of sweetness often compliment both savory dishes and sweet ones, as well as being delicious on their own. A cheese bread just doesn't really work with blueberry preserves on it.
On the other hand, breads that tend toward the savory can be complex and interesting. They can really work well with savory dishes, even when they're not the ideal choice for french toast.
This bread is of the slighlty savory variety. It is a variation on the popular sour cream and onion flavor, using yogurt and green onions. The finished bread has a delicious, mild onion flavor blended with a hint of tang from the yogurt. The loaf has a very soft, moist interior with a hint of crispness in the crust. The onions in my loaf were very evenly distributed, so I think I managed to find just the right amount of them. I can't say whether this would make a good sandwich, since that depends on your personal preferences toward the softness of your bread, but it goes great with soups and would probably make an outstanding grilled cheese sandwich.
Store a cut loaf cut-side down on your countertop to prevent the crust from loosing its crispness.




Green Onion Yogurt Bread
1 ¼ cups water, warm and divided (110F)
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
½ cup plain yogurt (any variety)
2 1/2 tsp salt
3-3 ½ cups ap flour
½ cup chopped green onions (scallions)

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup water with yeast and sugar. Stir and let stand for 5-10 minutes, until foamy. Add remaining water, yogurt, salt and 2 cups of flour. Stir until smooth. Add onions, followed by remaing flour 1-2 tbsp at a time, mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl to rise for about 1 ½ hours, covered with plastic wrap, until doubled.
Gently turn dough out onto a floured surface. Flatten slightly, then shape into an oblong loaf, 11-12 inches long. Place on a floured baking sheet, cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F.
Slash loaf with 3 or 4 diagonal cuts.
Bake at 400F for 35 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Makes 1 loaf.