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Ricotta-Olive Oil Herb Bread

Ricotta-Olive Oil Herb Bread
  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 3 hr 0 min
  • Servings 1
Wheat sandwich bread made with mild ricotta cheese and savory herbs.
By Girl Versus Dough
Updated November 11, 2014

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 cups Gold Medal™ unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water

Steps

  • 1
    In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 1/4 cup lukewarm water, yeast and 2 tablespoons flour. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
  • 2
    To the proofed yeast mixture, add olive oil, ricotta cheese, salt, herbs and flours and stir to combine.
  • 3
    Attach dough hook and slowly mix in enough of the lukewarm water so that dough comes together and pulls away from sides of the bowl.
  • 4
    Increase speed to medium and knead 3-5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic (or, stir water into dough with a wooden spoon until you’ve got a cohesive dough, then remove from bowl and knead on a lightly floured counter top 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic).
  • 5
    Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • 6
    Remove risen dough from bowl and press dough into a 9-by-9-inch square. Roll up dough from one side into a log and tuck swirled edges under (so the top of the dough is taut).
  • 7
    Place log in a lightly oiled loaf pan, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • 8
    Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap or tea towel and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the dough reads about 200°F.
  • 9
    Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

No nutrition information available for this recipe

  • If you’ve come here to get inspired; to find something yummy to bake; to find a good, foolproof bread recipe, one that yields a wheat sandwich bread that’s dense yet soft, flavorful yet mild, healthy yet delicious – then you’ve come to the right place.

    This Ricotta-Olive Oil Herb Bread is a new favorite bread recipe for me. It’s unique enough to stand out from the crowd of wheat breads, but traditional enough that I can use it for just about any sandwich my growling tummy desires (which, coincidentally, is a lot of sandwiches). It’s easy enough to whip up in one lazy afternoon on the weekend so I can eat it throughout the week. And, it’s just plain tasty.

    The creamy ricotta cheese, though mostly indecipherable to the taste buds, renders this loaf soft and chewy. The olive oil gives it mild flavor support but major moisture. And the herbs, though faintly present, provide a robust and refreshing aftertaste to each and every slice, one made even better with a dip in the toaster and a spackling of butter or cream cheese (which, let’s be honest, makes everything taste better).

    It’s the kind of bread that becomes a loyal and steadfast friend, because it requires simple ingredients and is pretty hard to mess up. You can make a loaf or two to give away, or because you want to start using more homemade breads for meals, or because it sounds delicious and hey, why not? That’s what you came here for, anyway, right? So get down to bidniz and bake this bread already. You’ll be hard-pressed to not fall in love with it as I did.

    Stephanie (aka Girl Versus Dough) joined Tablespoon to share her adventures in the kitchen. Check out Stephanie’s Tablespoon member profile and keep checking back for her own personal recipes on Tablespoon!
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