Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread

I’m sure most of you agree that fall season is synonymous with a sudden onset of baking activity. Armed with a craving for rustic bread, an ardent addiction to garlic, and a fondness for the heady aroma of rosemary (still cilantro remains my favourite herb though), I decided to bake a “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“.

Zucchini is one of my favourite summer veggies. From snacking, to stir-fries, pizzas, and dessert, it’s quite a versatile vegetable . If your garden is overflowing with zucchinis like mine, this is a great way to use some up, but it’s also the kind of recipe I feel like eating year-round. The ingredients are pretty wholesome, so if want to sneak in a few extra veggies onto a picky eater’s plate, this might be exactly what you are looking for.

The exterior of “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“ has a rustic texture with a gorgeous golden crisp crust.  The inside is chewy, soft, yet robust and delicious.  The garlic and rosemary pair awesomely with the flavours in this bread.

Most importantly “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“ is a BUTTER-LESS, OIL- LESS and EGGLESS bread!!

Let’s take a sneak peak into my vegetable garden. This year we were lucky to have a few Kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, garlic, potatoes, green chillies, tomatoes and an abundance of these gorgeous green and yellow Zucchini and of course the rosemary plant!! The night temperatures are almost falling to low single digits and they are still surviving the cold…..Sooo happy!!!

I always wanted to get a bread maker.  But somehow kept on postponing, so far it’s been fine without; if you don’t have a bread maker, no worries.  You can absolutely make this fab “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“ at home with a little extra elbow grease.

I was super thrilled with the outcome and it’s most definitely a family favourite now. The mouth watering aroma from the oven is one big ridiculous temptation. That’s one of the many reasons why I love to bake.  Seriously, we just wanted to tear into this loaf the minute the “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread” came out of the oven.

It’s a very simple recipe indeed, a tad bit of planning will do the job. Plan ahead to allow time for rising.  Depending on the temperature of your room, it could take a couple of hours for the dough to double.  I like to put my dough in an oven that has been slightly warmed up, which helps the rise time go a bit faster.

I have used spelt bread flour in today’s recipe for “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“. With some research for my own knowledge, I have put forth a few points based on my understanding. If you want to get the recipe right away, scroll down directly to the recipe otherwise continue reading.

Did you know “spelt“ could be an answer to some of your dietary or wheat allergy concerns? Did you know you could just add more quality nutrients to your baked goods and to your meals overall?

“Spelt Flour” to make “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“:

Spelt is an ancient grain that has lately made a comeback in North America, even though it has been popular through the decades in many European countries. Spelt is a non-hybrid distant relative to present day wheat.

If you like to bake and you’re looking for an alternative to your usual whole-wheat flour, you may want to consider trying spelt. It’s being used a lot here in Germany and so decided to experiment with it. It has a nutty flavour and is a close relative to wheat, which means it makes a good substitution in recipes that use whole-wheat flour.

Unlike wheat, where vital nutritional bran and germ are usually removed during milling, the vital substances of spelt are found in the inner kernel of the grain. Although there are some nutritional differences between the two flours, neither of them is gluten-free. Even though spelt’s gluten is more fragile than other wheats, the bread produces fewer air pockets, it is well formed and maintains its flavourful taste.

Some of the health benefits of spelt include its ability to help in regulating the body’s metabolism, aid in the creation of sex hormones, increase circulation, build strong bones, improve the immune system, boosting digestive function, lowering blood sugar, and reducing cholesterol levels in the body.

Baking with spelt is similar to baking with other flours, however, due to spelt’s solubility, a little less water is required. So, it is suggested that you use 3/4 of the liquid that you normally would use. More liquid can then be added until the look and feel of the batter is satisfactory.

My Conclusion: 

• Replace some whole grain spelt flour with all purpose flour, you will get more volume and a lighter loaf while still keeping many of the good characteristics of whole spelt.
• We also liked the slight nutty flavour it gives to the bread.
• Based on the nutritional properties, it’s hard to make a case for spelt being significantly better (or worse) for you than whole wheat. I think this really comes down to individual preferences. If you prefer the taste or you find it more satisfying, I can’t see any reason not to enjoy it. We loved it!!

“Spelt Bread Flour” to make “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“:

Bread flour has more protein content than all-purpose, which helps with gluten development. Some recipes call for it when an especially chewy and elastic crumb is desired. The higher gluten content of “bread” flour can be useful when making bagels (extra chewy) or pizzas (extra stretchy). It would be bad for cakes, which are supposed to be lighter and not chewy.

You’ll notice some difference in crumb and texture with breads made with each flour, but the flours can generally be substituted for one another.  If anything, using bread flour will give you a heavier and denser loaf.

Because there’s so much gluten, “bread flour” is more forgiving. Or to say the same thing less politely: with “bread flour” a complete neophyte can do everything wrong and still have a good chance of turning out a decent loaf.

I do bake quite often but I’m still a learner when it comes to the science behind  baking, so please correct me if i’m wrong!!

Off to the recipe!!

Recipe Courtesy: Tweaked and loosely adapted from Roxana.

Sources of Information: Wiki, Organic facts, and Baking bites.

Step-by-Step process in making “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread” :

• This is all what you need!! Can you believe, this zucchini is about 1½ foot long.

• Start by shredding zucchini (I’m using with the peel on).
• You can use a food processor or a grater to shred zucchini.

• Spread them on paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

• Finely mince garlic and rosemary.

• In a small bowl add ¼ cup lukewarm water and sprinkle 1¼ teaspoon dry yeast along with a little sugar and let it proof.
• When bubbles appear and the yeast has increased in volume, it’s ready for use.
• Add salt to the yeast liquid.

• Measure spelt bread flour and all purpose flour in a wide plate or a bowl. Mix well.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the yeast liquid.

• Mix well and add minced garlic, rosemary, shredded drained zucchini and sunflower seeds.

• I just transferred to a bowl, could not knead.
• Now slowly knead the dough with hand or using an electric mixer with dough hook attachment. Obviously I used my hand!!
• Mix slowly until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl.

• The amount of water will depend upon the water content of your zucchini. It can range from few tablespoons to 1/4 cup water.
• Dough should come together well at this point; slightly sticky is fine.
• Place dough ball in well oiled bowl, turning dough a few times so that dough surfaces are protected by oil.
• Tightly cover bowl with cling wrap. Place in warm, draft-free area to rise until dough is doubled, approx. 1 hour, depending on room temp (if your room is cooler, it could take 2 hours.)

• After dough has doubled, divide the dough in two balls and flatten them just a little bit. Sprinkle some rosemary on the top.
• Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap again and let rest for the second rise.
• 15 minutes before the rise period is over, pre-heat oven to 190 C or 375 F.
• Using a sharp knife, make surface cuts on the balls to avoid cracking.

• Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes, spraying loaf with water once during the middle of baking.
• Bump oven up to 220 C or 425F and spray loaf with water again.
• Watch carefully – bake just until top is a nice golden brown, taking care not to over bake. The bread loaves should sound hollow when tapped on the back side.

• Remove from the oven and immediately brush with butter or (vegan) butter. Let the butter melt softening the crust.
• Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve as you please.
• We had “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“ with Guacomole and it tasted wonderful.
• When cooled, slice and enjoy “Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“!

Print Recipe

Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread

Homemade Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread is chewy from inside and has a gorgeous golden crisp crust. Garlic and Rosemary pair awesomely with the flavours in this bread.

Prep Time2 hours hrs

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Breads

Cuisine: World

Servings: 3 to 4

Author: Padma

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Spelt Bread flour
• 1 Cup All purpose flour
• ¼ cup Lukewarm water
• 1¼ teaspoon dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
• ½ Tablespoon finely chopped Rosemary
• 1½ cup Zucchini shredded and drained
• 1 Tablespoon Sunflower seeds
• 1 to 3 Tablespoons water added to the dough

Instructions

• Combine spelt bread flour and all purpose flour in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside.
• In a small bowl add ¼ cup lukewarm water and sprinkle 1¼ teaspoon dry yeast along with a little sugar and let it proof.
• When bubbles appear and the yeast has increased in volume, it’s ready for use.
• Add salt to the yeast liquid.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the yeast liquid.
• Mix well and add minced garlic, rosemary, shredded drained zucchini and sunflower seeds.
• Now slowly knead the dough with hand or using an electric mixer with dough hook attachment.
• Mix slowly until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl.
• The amount of water will depend upon the water content of your zucchini.
• Dough should come together well at this point; slightly sticky is fine.
• Place dough ball in well oiled bowl, turning dough a few times so that dough surfaces are protected by oil.
• Tightly cover bowl with cling wrap. Place in warm, draft-free area to rise until dough is doubled,
• After dough has doubled, divide the dough in two balls and flatten them just a little bit. Sprinkle some rosemary on the top.
• Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap again and let rest for the second rise.
• minutes before the rise period is over, pre-heat oven to 190 C or 375 F.
• Using a sharp knife, make surface cuts on the balls to avoid cracking.
• Bake at 190 C or 375F for 25-30 minutes, spraying loaf with water once during the middle of baking.
• Bump oven up to 220 C or 425F and spray loaf with water again.
• Watch carefully - bake just until top is a nice golden brown, taking care not to over bake. The bread loaves should sound hollow when tapped on the back side.
• Remove from the oven and immediately brush with butter or (vegan) butter. Let the butter melt softening the crust.
• Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread as you please.

Notes

The amount of water will depend upon the water content of your zucchini. It can range from few tablespoons to 1/2 cup water.
It is best to use sharp kitchen shears for cutting the dough without stretching it too much. This helps in keeping the gluten intact.
Use Bread flour as in original recipe if it is available. It is not easily found in India so I used all purpose flour.
You can also include other seeds like pumpkin seeds, melon seeds or anything of your choice to give a nutty flavour to the bread.
You can completely avoid that little oil for greasing and the butter to soften the crust, and it becomes such a healthy bread.
Prep time may vary depending on the room temperature, so adjust accordingly.

“Rustic Rosemary Garlic Zucchini Bread“ is a part of the Blog Hop Theme “Eggless Baking”. Do check out other wonderful recipes by talented bloggers of the “Culinary Hoppers” team.

• Piyali’s Vegan Lemon Muffins With Coconut Cranberry Cream
• Shubha’s Garlicky Pull Apart Buns
• Anu’s Iyengars Bakery style kara biscuits
• Parvathy’s Star Bucks Style Pumpkin Bread Eggless
• Vani’s Jam Filled Shortbread Cookie Rolls
• Jayashree’s Orange Zest Cookies

Happy Cooking 🙂

Padma