When I handed the second loaf to a friend, she asked if I had picked it up at Trader Joe’s. “No, I made it.” My simple response was met with wide eyes and a face of questions. She toasted a few slices and spread them with butter. They were even better than the first loaf which I served with a spread of lasagna and salad, followed by a delicious cheesecake served with fruit.
I loved the concept of this bread and wouldn’t hesitate to recreate the idea. However, I think if I were to use asparagus again, I would use smaller pieces; or choose a different vegetable all together. I would add garlic and remember to buy the arugula next time. The nuts would have been better toasted before adding them. All this is not to say that I thought it was bad, I just think it could be personalized to my tastes a bit more; which is the makings of a delicious recipe.
Asparagus Bread
1 cup of green asparagus
3 cups of strong bread flour
1 teaspoon of dry instant yeast
1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Clean the asparagus, set two of them aside, cut the rest into 4 pieces. Boil these pieces for 2 minutes in the water, drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Combine the flour and yeast in a large bowl, mix in most of the water and knead for a few minutes, add the olive oil and knead for 10-12 minutes. Add the salt and knead on for 5 minutes or until very elastic. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
3. Work the asparagus pieces, rocket, walnuts and parmesan in with care so that they’re evenly distributed. Place the dough in a greased container, cover and let rise for about 2 hrs.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Make round balls, cover with a tea towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Flatten the balls and fold into taut breads with slightly tapering ends. Lay one asparagus in lengthwise in the middle of the bread and press in slightly. Sprinkle with wheat flour and cover to rise for 70 minutes or until doubled.
6. Preheat the oven (preferably with stone) to 475F. Before baking sprinkle extra cheese on the breads. Place the loaves directly on the stone. Place boiling water in a metal container on the bottom of the oven that you preheated to create steam.
7. Lower the temperature after 5 minutes to 375F. Open the door after another 10 minutes to let some air in. Repeat twice during baking. Bake for 40-45 minutes and cool on a wire rack.
Asparagus Bread is being served up as the Bread Baking Babes challenge of the month. This months challenge was hosted by Lien of Notitie Van Lien, June’s kitchen of the month. You too can be a bread baking buddy and earn a badge! You have until June 26th to bake this bread. Check out further details on becoming a buddy on Notitie Van Lien. Or enjoy one of the other Bread Baking Challenge breads which I have baked.
What a great compliment, you really deserved it because the bread looks fantastic!
What a lovely reaction! And rightly so, cause they do look beautiful Gretchen! Cheers for you that you found the time to make them.
(You forgot to chop the asparagus smaller (about 1 cm pieces) that would have been better I guess.) Love that look of the melted cheese on top!
Serving the bread just with butter is the ultimate compliment. It really was a nice loaf, and yours looks so good! I love all that cheesey goodness scattered on top.
Wonderful pairing with your lasagne too.
Ooooo Gretchen what a great opening line!
The bread looks as fabulous as it was good! Isn’t it just the most fun to be able to say “I made it.”
So cool.
What a beautiful loaf of bread! It does look like it came from a bakery! I would have never thought to use asparagus in bread. How interesting!
Wow ! This is really a beautiful loaf !!
Absolutely gorgeous loaves, yes I can imagine her reaction and you deserved it!
Very nice, and that is a wonderful complement to receive on any loaf of bread.
No wonder your friend thought a bakery had made the bread. It is a stunning looking artisan loaf. I love the rustic earthy look with the asparagus.
Your bread looks wonderful! You are so sweet to share it with a friend
Yum what an awesome and delicious looking bread!!
That’s a stuinning bread Gretchen.It’s rustic & moreish. The cheesy topping adds a lot of character to it. Love the pictures too. This is better looking than any I’ve seen. WOW!!
Gorgeous! What a great looking loaf. Love the idea now that I’ve seen it but I wouldn’t have thought of putting asparagus in a loaf of bread on my own.
Ooh, this sounds incredible! It definitely looks like a bread you might see at a bakery, though ten times better made at home.
This is just splendid. I’m tweeting it right now!
This asparagus bread looks and sounds so good!
What a wonderful way to use the lovely apsaragus at the markets right now!!!
Wow, I would never have thought to use asparagus in bread! And this is such a professional looking loaf, honestly like you’d buy in a bakery. Sounds so delicious!
Never thought of putting asparagus and bread together, but it looks wonderful! Thanks for the recipe…