The delight of light and savoury Zucchini Bread had receded to the deepest recesses of my mind until a subscriber wrote to say how fondly she remembered this bread which I think we stopped baking in about 2000. It was a great favourite of my dearly missed late mother Eleanor and my beautiful sister Gina who moved from Western Australia to South Australia many years ago. Sadly it kind of went out of fashion as our sourdoughs went from strength to strength. Its popularity from the earliest days of The Gourmet Grocer then New Norcia Bakeries waned and it became commercially unviable to make. In the interim I had lost the original recipe so I had to start from scratch which meant a couple of batches so now we have a lot of Zucchini Bread to get through! I have also been thoroughly reprimanded by our daughter Caterina for making Zucchini Bread again when she is not home to eat it!
After all that I hope you enjoy making and eating this rather different bread.
Ingredients
450 strong bakers flour
10gm salt
10gm fresh yeast or 1 sachet of dried yeast
150gm coarsely grated zucchini (about half a medium zucchini)
200ml warm water
1 beaten egg for glaze
Method
Dissolve the yeast in the water.
In a large bowl mix the flour, salt and zucchini.
Add the yeast and water and mix to a stiff dough.
Turn the dough out on the bench and start kneading. As you knead the dough will become much wetter as water is squeezed out of the zucchini. Due to the varying amount of water in the zucchini you may have to add a tablespoon of extra water or flour but don't do this until you have kneaded the dough for 4 or 5 minutes.
When the dough is smooth and elastic place it back in the bowl, cover with cling wrap or a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours until double in size.
Form the dough into a loaf, glaze with beaten egg and let prove again for 30 to 45 minutes until ready to bake.
Glaze again with beaten egg.
Bake in a 220C oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until fully baked.
Cool on a wire rack.
This bread is fantastic to use for your favourite sandwich and makes superb toast.
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