ARIANE CRAFTS ANALYSIS

World Analysis, Food, Traditional Textile Arts & Crafts

ArianeCraftsTrademark

Homemade Wholemeal Bread with Olives & Spinach

Eating healthy gives you energy for the day, makes you richer or poorer and is part of your health profile for better and for worst.

Under this premise, we made our first video recipe sharing how to make a quick wholemeal spinach and olive bread packed with vital vitamins for your wellbeing.

What do you make of our cooking and baking so far?

Homemade Wholemeal Bread with Olives & Spinach

This hearty loaf uses wholesome wholemeal flour, enriched with the savoury tang of black olives and the earthy goodness of spinach, all brought together with a touch of good quality olive oil.

Yields: 1 medium loaf

Prep time: 20-30 minutes

Rise time: 2-3 hours (total)

Bake time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 500g Asda Wholemeal Bread Flour
  • 7g sachet instant dried yeast (or 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or honey (optional, helps yeast activation and flavour)
  • 2 tablespoons Asda Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for greasing
  • 350-400ml lukewarm water (around 37°C / 100°F – body temperature)
  • 70g-100g Asda Sliced Black Olives, drained well and roughly chopped if slices are too large
  • 70g Asda Organic Spinach, washed and roughly chopped

Equipment:

  • Large mixing bowl1
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Digital kitchen scales
  • Clean tea towel or cling film2
  • 900g (2lb) loaf tin
  • Wire cooling rack

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Yeast & Wet Ingredients:
    • If using instant yeast, you can mix it directly with the flour.3
    • If using active dry yeast, first, in a large mixing bowl, combine 350ml of the lukewarm water with the sugar/honey (if using) and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it looks frothy and active.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients:
    • To the bowl (either with activated yeast or if using instant yeast directly), add the Asda Wholemeal Bread Flour and salt.
    • Pour in the Asda Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  3. Mix the Dough:
    • Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms.
    • Gradually add more of the lukewarm water, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough seems too dry, until all the flour is incorporated and you have a slightly sticky but manageable dough. Wholemeal flour can absorb varying amounts of water.4
  4. Knead the Dough:
    • Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface.
    • Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. Push the dough away from you with the heels of your hands, then fold it back towards you, rotating it slightly.5 Continue until the dough feels smoother and more elastic. It won’t be as smooth as white bread dough due to the bran in wholemeal flour.
  5. Incorporate Olives & Spinach:
    • Flatten the dough slightly. Spread the Asda Sliced Black Olives and Asda Organic Spinach over the top.
    • Fold the dough over itself a few times and continue to knead gently for another 2-3 minutes, ensuring the olives and spinach are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Don’t over-knead at this stage, as the spinach can break down too much.
  6. First Rise (Bulk Fermentation):
    • Lightly grease your mixing bowl with a little Asda Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
    • Place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat.
    • Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film.
    • Leave the dough in a warm place (e.g., a sunny spot, near a radiator, or in an oven with just the light on) for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size.
  7. Shape the Loaf:
    • Lightly flour your work surface again. Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air.
    • Shape the dough into a tight oblong shape that will fit your 900g (2lb) loaf tin. You can do this by flattening it into a rectangle, then rolling it up tightly from one of the longer sides, pinching the seam shut.
    • Lightly grease your loaf tin with a little olive oil. Place the shaped dough, seam-side down, into the prepared tin.
  8. Second Rise (Proofing):
    • Cover the loaf tin loosely with a clean tea towel or cling film.
    • Leave it in a warm place for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen to just above the top of the tin. While it’s rising, preheat your oven.
  9. Preheat Oven:
    • About 20 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6).
  10. Bake the Bread:
    • Place the loaf tin in the preheated oven.
    • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If it’s browning too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  11. Cooling:
    • Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven.
    • Immediately turn it out onto a wire cooling rack.
    • Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.6 This is crucial as it continues to cook and firm up as it cools, preventing a gummy texture.

Enjoy your delicious homemade Wholemeal Bread with Asda ingredients!