Mediterranean Stuffed Bread Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• For the lemon yogurt sauce: Add the yogurt, lemon juice, dill, coriander and some salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix together, then drizzle some olive oil on top and garnish with a sprig of dill.
• For the collards: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and have a bowl of ice water ready. Boil the collard leaves until bright green and pliable, about 1 1/3 minutes. Transfer to the ice water to cool. Gently squeeze the leaves dry.
• Lay out the leaves one at a time on a paper towel to blot, and use a sharp knife to cut out the thick center stems, cutting about three-quarters of the way to the top and making sure to leave 2 to 3 inches uncut at the top. Set the trimmed leaves aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the rice, raisins and allspice and cook, stirring, until the rice is well coated, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the dill, parsley, mint and lemon zest.
• Lay out one collard leaf with the intact end pointing towards you and the trimmed stem end pointing away. Spoon 2 level tablespoons of the rice filling in the center of the side facing you. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then roll the leaf up tightly away from you like a burrito, starting from the bottom and finishing seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining leaves and rice filling. (Some of the larger leaves may need to be trimmed slightly if they appear too bulky when rolled up.)
• Add a splash of the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to a medium saucepan. Arrange the collard rolls in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Top with enough water to just cover the rolls, then drizzle in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Cover the rolls directly with a round of parchment paper. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer and cook, covered with a lid, for 1 hour. Remove the rolls from the liquid, drain on a paper towel-lined plate and let cool to room temperature. Serve with lemon wedges and the lemon yogurt sauce.

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED BREAD

Steps:

• BREAD.
• In a large bowl, whisk warm water with honey.
• Sprinkle in yeast; let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy.
• With wooden spoon, stir in 2-1/4 cups of the flour, semolina, oil and salt until dough comes away from the bowl.
• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until soft and slightly sticky, dusting with remaining flour as needed.
• Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
• Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• FILLING.
• In a small bowl, cover sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water.
• Let stand for 10 minutes or until softened then drain and chop to make about 3/4 cup.
• In a bowl, toss together sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, parsley, onions, garlic, oil, oregano, basil, salt & pepper.
• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; roll out into 16x9 inch rectangle and spread with filling.
• Starting at long side, roll up into cylinder.
• Pinch along seam to smooth and seal.
• Flatten slightly & pinch ends to seal.
• Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.
• TOPPING.
• Sprinkle semolina on baking sheet; place loaf on top.
• Brush with oil; sprinkle with parsley and pat lightly into dough.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Bake on lowest rack in 375 degree F oven for 35 minutes or until well-browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped from bottom.
• Remove from pan and let cool slightly on rack.

ITALIAN STUFFED BREAD

Steps:

• Place dough in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Roll dough into a 17x20-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick on a large piece of parchment paper. Brush olive oil over dough; sprinkle basil and oregano on top. Layer mortadella, provolone cheese, capicola ham, Genoa salami, tomatoes, and mushrooms over dough.
• Roll dough lengthwise into a log. Brush the top with beaten egg; sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Transfer to a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut one lemon half into 1/4-inch thick slices; remove any rind and quarter each slice. Juice the other half.
• Combine cod, feta cheese, diced bell pepper, zucchini, onion, Kalamata and green olives, and lemon slices in a mixing bowl. Mix in oregano and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and olive oil; toss gently to coat all ingredients.
• Stuff peppers with the cod mixture. Wrap all peppers together in heavy-duty aluminum foil, creating a sealed pouch.
• Bake in the oven until peppers are tender and cod is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet or 13x9 baking dish.
• Stir together filling ingredients: tomatoes through feta.
• Spoon filling into cleaned mushroom caps and place them in prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Place on a serving platter and sprinkle fresh minced parsley over the top of them.