Recipe: Mediterranean Stuffed Bread

Mediterranean Stuffed Bread

one 2-pound loaf frozen white bread dough, defrosted

Filling
1/4 cup flat-leafed Italian parsley, finely minced
1/4 cup minced onions and/or scallions
3/4 cup minced sun-dried tomatoes (about 8 plumped halves)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup chopped black olives (a combination of oil-cured, kalamata or pitted black)
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled into small chunks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon basil

In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the parsley, onions/scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olives, feta cheese chunks, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil.

Flatten or gently deflate the bread dough into an oval shape, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick. Press half of the topping mixture onto the bread. Fold the dough in half and pinch the edges together to cover the filling. Let it rest for a few minutes. Flatten the dough again, using a rolling pin, trying not to force any of the filling out. Press the remaining filling onto the dough. Fold the dough in half again, pinching the edges together to cover any exposed filling (sometimes this doesn't look perfect, but it works out in the end). The bread should look like a plumpish, slightly flattened oval. Smear a little olive oil on the bread.

Line a doubled-up cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle with semolina, and place the bread on top. Cover with a tea towel, and let rise about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy and lighter than when it started.

Preheat your grill to Hot. Place the bread on the grill, put on the cover, reduce the heat to Medium, and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the bread is well-browned. (Some of the filling may leak out; that's OK). Remove the bread from the grill and serve warm, in wedges, or cold, in thin slices.

Yield: 10-12 servings