Spiral Herb Oatmeal Bread

It's true that once you get the hang of the basic bread dough, there is no stopping you... So this time around, it had to be something more than just the plain loaf. Hence a stuffed loaf !!
Spring onions are one of my favourite filling for sandwiches so I assumed that they'll do equally well for a loaf.
I coupled spring onions with some bell peppers and parsley and there it is......the perfect companion with your soup, evening tea or coffee or just as it is.

I find the stuffed loaf, a very handy side dish...have one of these in the spread and you can easily do only one main dish and a salad and still you have a complete meal up your sleeve.

Spiral Herb Oatmeal Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

250 g Flour (half whole wheat flour and half refined flour)

10 g Dry Active Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1/4 cup Warm Water (to activate the yeast)

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup Oats

2 tbsp Olive oil

1/4 cup water + 1/4 cup milk mixed together to knead the dough

For the filling:

2 tbsp Butter

1 cup chopped Spring Onions (with the greens)

1/2 Red Bell Pepper

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper

1 cup chopped Parsley or Coriander

2-3 pods of Garlic - crushed

1 Green chilli - chopped

Salt-n-Pepper to taste

Directions:

For the filling:

1. Heat butter in a pan, add garlic and onions along with the greens. Cook for a minute. Ad dthe bell peppers.
2. Cook till soft, add green chillies, salt and pepper. 
3. Cook for 1/2 a minute. Add chopped parsley and mix well.
4. Remove from fire and let it cool completely before use.

You can prepare this while your dough is proving.

For the dough:

1. Sift the 2 flours together in a large mixing bowl. Add Oats. Keep aside.

2. In a bowl of lukewarm water, add sugar and dry active yeast. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes (till it gets frothy), in a warm place . (Can keep in your microwave - switched off)

3. Now add the activated yeast, oil and salt to the flour. Mix it well.

4. Add warm water-milk to the dough gradually, as you go on kneading it. Knead well till the dough feels absolutely soft and stretchy and is not very sticky. The more moist the dough, the better it will rise.

5. To make it smooth and elastic, put the dough on a lightly floured platform . Push the dough  forward with your palms and fold over towards yourself with your fingers, and push again with the palm. Give the dough a turn and knead again.Knead till smooth, for about 10-15 minutes.

6. Put the dough in a large clean bowl and cover with cling wrap or a moist cloth. Keep it to prove for 1.5-2 hours, till it doubles in size.

7. After 2 hours remove the cling wrap and punch down the dough lightly.

8. Roll out the dough is a big oval shape. Cut into a clean rectangle. 

9. Brush with butter. Spread the filling evenly, all over the rectangle, leaving the edges clear.

10. Roll up tightly and pinch the edges to seal from all sides. Make sure all joints should come at the bottom. If the joint is coming on the top, just invert the loaf. ( Yes I was perhaps lost in thought or way too much in a hurry to shoot :-), and before I realized, I had already glazed and sprinkled the wrong side.)

11. Place in a loaf tin and leave to prove again for 30 minutes.

12. Brush with glaze, and sprinkle 2 tbsp of Oats. 

13. Bake at 220 degree Centigrade for 20 minutes. 

14. Serve warm.

Happy Baking !!