Spring spinach is here and so is a birthday celebration. A savoury pinwheel bun sounded like a nice addition to a weekend brunch, especially for someone not especially into sweets.
This recipe is based on the classic 90 minute cinnamon bun version. The dough rests once for 10 minutes and then again for 30 minutes before baking so it can be fresh from the oven in an hour and a half. Most of the kneading is done by a hand mixer but a few at the end are still helpful to pull the dough together.
Spinach, feta and garlic are a traditional Greek combination for Spanakopita.
Just like red blood cells, our bodies are continually rebuilding bone tissue. Spinach contains calcium, manganese, and vitamin K, which support the maintenance of healthy bones. Getting back to those red blood cells, spinach is source of iron, a mineral needed to assist red blood cells to bring oxygen to all the various parts of the body. Not enough iron can make one feel weak, dizzy, or have trouble breathing.
Folk magic suggests that more abundance is connected to spinach as is the conviction of sticking to goals until they are made real and finding the support of a wise and trustworthy love. May I suggest nurturing that support in yourself?
You will need:
1 bunch of fresh spinach
4 small cloves of garlic
5 chopped mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2cupsall-purpose flourdivided (plus an additional 1/4 cup if needed)
2Tbsp.white sugar
½tsp.salt
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeastor 1 pkg.
½cup milk
¼cupwater
2Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
It is a blessing when time, supplies and opportunity come together. It is not uncommon to put a little extra into recipes that will go to someone else. It is a way of expressing our caring. Setting an intention happens swiftly because what is being prepared is essentially an offering. At Findhorn, in Scotland, they say, “ work is love in action“. Express your love by beginning.
Combine the milk, water and butter in a 2-cup measuring cup and microwave in short intervals until it is above body temperature and feels warm, about 105 to 110°F degrees on an instant read thermometer, if you have one. Option two, if you prefer, is to heat the mixture in a small pot.
While the liquids are heating, combine 3/4 cup of flour, sugar, salt and yeast together in a mixing bowl.
Using a hand mixer on low (or a stand mixer if you prefer), slowly add the warm milk mixture to the flour.
The mixture (called a slurry) will be very moist. Turn the speed up to medium and continue to mix for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of flour and continue beating for another two minutes.
Change out the beaters for the dough hook attachments (shown in the picture above). Add the remaining cup of flour.
Continue working the dough until it comes together, cleaning the sides of the bowl.
Only add an additional tablespoon of flour if the dough is very sticky but don’t go over 4 tablespoons.
Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean counter. Knead 4-5 minutes. The dough will become a soft, slightly sticky ball.
Return to the bowl, cover and place in a warm location to rest for 10 minutes away from drafts. In the oven with just the light on is a good choice but only until the oven is turned on.
Either lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch lasagna style pan or add a layer of parchment paper and set aside.
Now move on to preparing the vegetables. In a saute pan, place a tablespoon of olive oil and heat to medium. Place the washed and chopped mushrooms and peeled and chopped garlic. Saute until cooked, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Wash and sort through the spinach, removing any unhappy looking leaves. I took the stems off as well.
Once the mushroom and spinach are cooked, remove them from the saute pan, leaving any liquid in the pan and add the spinach. If a little more olive oil is needed, add that before placing the spinach in the pan.
The spinach is going to collapse as it cooks so even if this looks like way too much for the pan, just wait a few minutes.
If the pan had a lid, cover the pan. It not, a plate upside down will do the trick as well.
The intention is to keep the heat in and steam the spinach.
This is what is left of the spinach once cooked. Transfer to a sieve and let it drip.
Gently remove the dough from the bowl and return to the counter which has been lightly floured.
With a rolling pin, roll out into a rectangle approximately 9 by 12 inches.
Begin with the chopped mushrooms and garlic, spreading evenly over the dough, all the way out to the edges, except along one of the 12 inch sides. This is the place where dough on dough will help the buns stay together once they are rolled up. If the mixture doesn’t make it all the way to the shorter sides then some buns will be more bread while other have more filling.
Press the spinach draining in the sieve, to remove as much liquid as possible. Coarsely chop and add on top of the mushroom mixture.
Crumble the feta cheese, then top the spinach with 1/2 cup as a final layer. The remaining 1/4 cup will be added later.
Beginning along a longer side, tightly roll the dough all the way across. Keep the filling from being pushed forward be lifting a little as you roll.
This will make a twelve inch roll that can now be cut into 12 equal sections. The easiest way to do this is to cut the roll in half with a serrated knife. Then cut each half in half again and then each quarter into three sections.
Transfer the individual rolls to the prepared pan.
Cover the unbaked rolls with plastic wrap or another layer of parchment paper.
Return the pinwheel buns to a warm, draft free location and allow to rise for 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F around twenty minutes into the final rise.
Top with the remaining crumbled feta just before placing the buns on a center rack in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter if desired and serve warm. Spinach & Feta Pinwheels from My Kitchen Wand
Combine the milk, water and butter in a 2-cup measuring cup and microwave in short intervals until it is above body temperature and feels warm, about 105 to 110°F degrees on an instant read thermometer, if you have one. Option two, if you prefer, is to heat the mixture in a small pot.
continue beating for another two minutes.
Return to the bowl, cover and place in a warm location to rest for 10 minutes away from drafts. In the oven with just the light on is a good choice but only until the oven is turned on.
Once the mushroom and spinach are cooked, remove them from the saute pan, leaving any liquid in the pan and add the spinach. If a little more olive oil is needed, add that before placing the spinach in the pan.
possible. Coarsely chop and add on top of the mushroom mixture.
Transfer the individual rolls to the prepared pan.
Spinach & Feta Pinwheels from My Kitchen Wand