Yeasted Zucchini Bread

Have you ever flipped through a cookbook and had something jump out to you like “duh!”? It is like something you surely should have thought of is written on the page, mocking you for not thinking of it sooner. Do you have those moments when the light just goes on as soon as you turn the page and you think, “I just HAVE to make this one!” Wait, who am I talking to? Of course you have!

As I went page by page through an unimpressive, small cookbook about all things baked I found myself planning and plotting to bake nearly every one. It is not that they are over the top gorgeous muffins and breads, but they seem to be like an old best friend – someone who you are comfortable with no matter how much time has gone by.

You have surely heard of zucchini bread, right? It is in the recipe box right after Banana Bread, Pumpkin Bread…Z is for…Zucchini Bread. Except, this recipe is nothing like it. Well, of course except that it includes zucchini. And it is bread. That is why the recipe jumped out at me, it was everything I had eaten before in no way I had thought of. A savory zucchini bread, made with yeast.

The dough came together flawlessly. It was the dough-maker who failed on her timetable. The dough just didn’t rise as quickly as I would have hoped and when I had to go to my friends house for a hike and a dinner party, I took the dough with me! As soon as I arrived, I walked right into the pantry to find what I need to shape and lay out the bread to rise one last time.

The hike took a little too long. Well, long enough for the dough to turn into something like Jabba the Hut – at least that was what the hostess called it! I couldn’t even bring myself to photograph it, I was far too embarrassed. We baked it anyway and even though it was larger than life, it’s taste was delicious and the guests went back for seconds!

I would absolutely recommend you try this delicious bread. I plan to bake it again with a different vegetable. Any suggestions?

Yeasted Zucchini Bread

1 pound of zucchini, grated
2 tablespoons of salt
2 1/2 teaspoons of dry active yeast
1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water
3 1/2 cups of flour

1. Layer grated zucchini and salt in a colander and leave it for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the moisture to drain off all the water.

2. Combine the yeast and 1/4 cup of water, stir and leave for 15 minutes.

3. Add the zucchini and flour to the yeast mixture. Add remaining water.

4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic and leave it to rise in a warm place until double in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Punch the dough down and knead into a cylinder. Place on the baking sheet, cover and leave to rise until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 425F. Brush with olive oil and bake until golden, about 30-35 minutes. Cool on a rack. Slice and serve.

Yeasted Zucchini Bread is being submitted to Yeastspotting.