Halloumi & Mint Bread

“All sorrows are less with bread.”
— Miguel de Cervantes

As I have stated before, I love bread. Not just the consumption of bread, but the making of bread. There is something therapeutic and calming and nurturing about making bread. The creation of bread, the kneading of the dough, seems to exorcize angst and temper my cloudiest moods. And the smell of bread baking in the oven is one of my very favourite aromas.

Making loaves of whole wheat or white bread is simple and satisfying, but every so often I enjoy making a less common type of bread. Halloumi and mint bread add a perfect exotic twist.

Halloumi (sometimes spelled haloumi) is a traditional Cypriot cheese. It is made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk and dates back to the Medieval Byzantine period. It is white with a texture similar to mozzarella and has a salty flavour. It is traditionally paired with mint, mint leaves being used as a preservative, and you often find packages of Halloumi with bits of mint leaf on the surface of the cheese.

Halloumi is not exactly a common cheese and although some regular grocers may carry it, you are more likely to find it at a Mediterranean grocery store or deli or at a store with a large cheese department, like Sunflower Market.

This bread is straightforward and simple to make.

Halloumi & Mint Bread
4 cups white flour
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 1/2 tsp (2 packages) dry yeast
1 to 1 1/4 cups warm water
8 oz halloumi cheese, ripped into small pieces
1 Tbsp of dried mint

Mix the flour, salt, olive oil and yeast in a large bowl, adding the water gradually to form a smooth dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead until the dough is elastic and springs back if you poke it with your finger (about 10 minutes). Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for one hour in a warm, draft-free place.

Line a tray with baking paper.

Remove the dough from the bowl and add the cheese and dried mint, kneading it enough to evenly distribute the cheese and mint. Shape the dough into a loaf and place it on the baking tray. Let it rise for another hour.

Lightly dust the top of the loaf with some flour and score it diagonally with a very sharp knife. Bake the loaf at 425˚F for 25-30 minutes. The bread should be golden brown and crisp on the top.

 Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

And most of all, enjoy!