Italian Spinach Braid Recipes

SAUSAGE, SPINACH & CHEESE CRESCENT BRAID - LOW FAT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F
• In skillet, remove sausage from casings, mush down to little cubes, cook sausage over medium heat until entirely cooked, drain.
• In large bowl, mix spinach, parmesan cheese, onions and garlic.
• Add cooked sausage to mixture and stir.
• Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle on greased cooking dish.
• Spoon sausage mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of rectangle.
• With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of sausage mixture. Fold strips of dough up over sausage mixture to meet in center; pinch to seal.
• Bake at 375°F for 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm.

ITALIAN RUSTIC SPINACH BREAD

Steps:

• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.
• In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
• Add warm water and oil, mix well with fork.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead at least 10 minutes until smooth.
• Spray a bowl with cooking spray and place dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel.
• Let rise in warm place (80-85F) for 30-40 minutes.
• Sprinkle ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal.
• Punch down dough and cover with inverted bowl, and rest for 15 minutes.
• Divide dough into two loaves.
• Roll out one loaf at a time into approximately 12"x14" and spread spinach mixture evenly all over surface.
• Roll up tightly tucking in sides and set aside on a cookie sheet that is lightly covered with cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel.
• Let loaves rise for another 30-40 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• With a sharp knife cut several deep diagonal slits on top of each loaf.
• Brush tops with beaten egg white.
• Bake for 25-35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped.
• Cool slightly and serve warm.
• Note: For freezing, cool completely and wrap in aluminum foil. Reheat in oven at 350F for 15 minutes.
• Filling Directions:.
• Place thawed spinach in large frying pan over low flame.
• Mix in the balance of ingredients and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes.
• Cool.
• With your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and set aside.

QUICK AND EASY SPINACH BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Cook garlic until soft, do not brown.
• Add spinach and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in salt, pepper, and Parmesean.
• Remove from heat and cool.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out pizza dough to a 10 x 14"rectangle.
• Evenlly spread out spinach mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella or mozzarella/feta mixture.
• Roll up the crust to make one large loaf.
• Pinch seam to seal Place loaf on baking sheet.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

BEST EVER ITALIAN SPINACH

Steps:

• Thaw spinach and squeeze out excess water.
• Now, squeeze some more and set aside.
• In a saute skillet, over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic.
• Cook until garlic is golden brown (don't burn it!).
• Add spinach and seasonings, saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Break in eggs and continue to saute and stir until eggs are cooked and thoroughly mixed into the spinach.
• Drain any excess oil and transfer to serving platter.
• Sprinkle grated Paremesan cheese over the top, amount to your liking.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE BRAID

Steps:

• Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Roll combined rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10-15 minutes. In a large skillet cook sausage completely. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Add spinach, cheeses, garlic, fennel seed, oregano and salt. Mix well. Remove wrap from dough. Place sausage mixture lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down center of dough. Make cuts 1 1/2-inches apart on long sides of dough to within 1/2-inch of filling. Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid. Lift braid with both hands and place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with additional fennel seed, if desired. Bake at 350°F 25-30 minutes.

SAUSAGE, MUSHROOM & SPINACH PIZZA BRAID

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Italian sausage 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned and tender. Stir in spinach leaves; cook until just starting to wilt. Remove from heat; stir in pizza sauce.
• Unroll dough on cookie sheet to 13x8-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese in 3 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough all the way to ends; top cheese with sausage mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
• Make cuts 1 inch apart on each side of rectangle just to edge of filling. Alternating from side to side, fold cut strips of dough at an angle halfway across filling, slightly overlapping ends.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds or until melted; stir in Italian seasoning. Brush butter mixture on top of braided crescent dough.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional pizza sauce, if desired.

SPINACH-STUFFED CHICKEN POCKETS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute spinach in 2 teaspoons oil until spinach is wilted. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the spreadable cheese, 2/3 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut a pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast; fill with spinach mixture. Secure with toothpicks., Place egg in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the pepper and remaining bread crumbs and salt. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture., In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in remaining oil for 8-10 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°. Discard toothpicks before serving.

SPINACH BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl combine water, honey, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Set aside to foam. Then whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sift 1 cup of flour and mix well. Set aside for 1 hour, or until it has a sponge-like texture.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and saute onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic, cumin, and remaining salt to the onions. Stir in the spinach, in small batches, and cook until the spinach is soft. Pour on the lemon juice. Drain spinach in a colander and reserve the cooking liquid. In a large bowl, place 2 cups of the remaining flour, making a well in the center of the flour. Pour the spongy mixture into the well. Knead for 10 minutes, adding enough of the cooking liquid to make it pliable yet firm. Transfer to a oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours. Then add the feta cheese to the dough and knead for 1 minute. Add the spinach mixture, sprinkle with the remaining flour, and mix together quickly. The dough is supposed to be moist and loose, don't knead again. Form into a oblong loaf and place the dough on a well oiled baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let proof for 1 hour. Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 30 minutes.