Creamy Savoury Bread

So I baked this bread on Friday Morning and left for a seminar I had to attend until late evening.

When I got back home, late evening, I entered the kitchen to eat a slice as if I didn't know that there will be no Savory Bread left

This was one of the first loaves I experimented with and it is still one of our favourites. (Though I think I have forgotten how it tastes since all there's ever left for me is the edges)

Hopefully when you bake this bread you'll eat more than the edges! ^^

The ingredients you will need:

For the dough:

400gr Bread Flour (all purpose flour will do too)

40gr Sugar

8gr Salt

6gr Instant Yeast

70gr Yogurt

260gr Warm Milk (37o-40o C)

40gr Room Temperature Butter

For the filling:

Bechamel:

40gr butter

30gr flour

200gr milk

Salt

Pepper

10-12 slices of Ham

150gr Shredded Kefalotyri mixed with Gouda cheese

Oregano

Spearmint

Method:

Stir the sugar inside the warm milk until it dissolves.

Stir the yeast in and let the mixture stand for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy.

When foamy, add it to your mixer bowl.

Add in the rest for the ingredients and knead with the dough hook on low speed for 1 minute until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the butter in and knead on high speed for 10 more minutes.

Transfer the dough on an oiled surface, shape it into a ball and transfer it into an oiled bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it proof in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until double in size.

Meanwhile prepare the bechamel:

In a pot heat the 40gr of butter. When it melts add the flour and stir until a paste forms. Add the milk, salt and pepper while stirring and keep stirring until you reach the bechamel consistency.

Cover it with plastic wrap and let aside.

When the dough has doubled, transfer it on an oiled surface.

Using a rolling pin flatten the dough and give it a rectangular shape.

Spread the bechamel and sprinkle oregano and peppermint.

Place the ham slices and then sprinkle kefalotyri and gouda cheese.

Cut the dough crosswise in 4 equal pieces.

Stack them on top of each other and cut vertically into 8 pieces (keep your hands floured so that the bechamel doesn’t stick on your hands)

Arrange the pieces in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof for another 45 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat the oven at 175C (350F)

Before baking you can spread melted butter on top and sprinkle more cheese.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown in color (Every oven is different so it might need less or more time in your oven! )

When it’s done let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer on a cooling rack to completely cool.