Kale and parmesan bread

This bread is delicious, with a slight cheesy flavour and a hint of spice. It has a slight green tinge to it, but don’t let that put you off – it’s extremely tasty.

This recipe calls for a bread maker, though you could also make it by hand.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
125g (4 ½ oz) kale leaves, stalks removed
Half cup water
1 egg
4 cups high grade white flour (or 2 cups white flour and 2 cups wholemeal flour)
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons Surebake yeast

Optional: Sprinkle grated cheese and pumpkin seeds on top before baking

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add chopped onion and sauté until a light golden colour. Add kale and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Cover the pan, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir again then leave, uncovered, to cool.

2. Tip the kale mixture into a bread machine pan (if you do not have a bread maker, put everything in a bowl and mix by hand). Add water and egg.

3. Add flour, then sprinkle over the grated nutmeg and Parmesan cheese.

4. Add salt and sugar to opposite corners of the bread pan. Make a small indent in the centre of the flour and add the yeast.

5. Set the bread machine to a dough setting, then press start.

6. When the dough cycle has finished, remove the dough from the pan and place on a floured surface. Gently knock back the dough, then roll it out into a rectangle shape about 2.5cm thick.

7. Along one long side, roll the dough to form a thick baton shape. Place the baton on a lightly floured baking tray, seam side up and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.

8. After 15 minutes, turn the bread over and tuck the ends and sides under to plump it up. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat over to 225degC (425degF).

9. Using a sharp knife, slash the top of the bread with diagonal cuts. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Place on wire rack to cool.