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You are here: Home / Recipes / Baking (savoury) / Wholewheat quick bread with olives, feta, spring onions and za’atar

Wholewheat quick bread with olives, feta, spring onions and za’atar

by Jeanne Horak on August 9, 2011 19 Comments in Baking (savoury), Recipes

WholewheatQuickBread © J Horak-Druiff 2011

 

It’s funny how we tend to define ourselves and out habits in absolute terms, even though anybody observing our habits from the outside would conclude that things are not nearly as absolute as we suggest.  I will tell you at the drop of a hat that I hate sport, period.  Doing it, watching it – anything involving it.  But look more closely and you will see that I am completely besotted with skiing, and that I spent an unhealthy amount of time this summer watching the rather thrilling Tour de France cycle race.  Umm, there goes that theory then! I also tend to describe myself as impatient – but then I will spend hours editing half a dozen photos, making sure to get them just right before I use them on my blog. (Note to self – being intolerant of incompetence is not the same as impatience!) Or I will cheerfully tell you that I don’t bake – but when you scroll through my blog’s recipe index, you quickly discover that there are in fact quite a few baked goodies in there.

 

OliveFetaBread2

 

I think the more correct statement would probably be that I am a lazy baker.  There – I’ve said it.  My name is Jeanne and I am a lazy baker. I love the buttery flakiness of puff pastry; but the idea of making it myself just sends me into fits of hysterical laughter.  I swoon for a good macaron – but as soon as I read about all the steps and tips and tricks involved in making good one, I feel overcome by inexplicable exhaustion and maked an informed decision to eat an apple instead. Few things excite me more than the smell of a hot baguette, freshly baked from the oven – but the entire idea of kneading the dough, waiting for it to rise, and all the other activities that go along with “proper” baking make me feel woefully inadequate.

But show me a baked recipe that includes the word “quick” and I am all ears.  No wonder, then, that I took one look at this bread recipe that my friend Kalyn posted a couple of weeks ago and made an immediate mental note to try it.  And apart from the remarkable speed and simplicity of this bread recipe, an added bonus was that it would use up the last of my za’atar spice mix that was getting a bit long in the tooth.  For those of you not familiar with it, za’atar is a spice blend popular throughout the Middle East prepared using ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram (or some combination thereof) mixed with toasted sesame seeds and salt, although other spices such as sumac are also often added. Traditionally, housewives throughout the Middle-East made their own variations of za’atar.  These recipes were kept secret, sometimes not even shared with daughters and relatives, which is why it can be difficult to determine the exact spices and proportions used.  Middle-Eastern shops and spice shops should sell it though.

The bread was a breeze to make.  I used my new silicone pan which was astonishingly convenient but if you do use silicone, remember that it lacks the conductive properties of metal and you may have to bake the bread for a little longer than the recipe suggests – be sure to test donneness with a skewer before turning the oven off.  The loaf had a good crispy to crust and a densely satisfying crumb.  It kept well in the fridge wrapped in baking parchment overnight and I was still enjoying the final slices toasted almost a week later, slathered in butter.

 

OliveFetaBread3

 

WHOLEWHEAT QUICK BREAD WITH OLIVES, FETA, SPRING ONIONS & ZA’ATAR (makes one loaf) – recipe from the wonderful Kalyn’s Kitchen

 Ingredients:

150g whole wheat flour
150g plain white flour
3 Tbsp za’atar*, plus more for sprinkling on top (or substitute your favourite spice mix)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten
1 cup buttermilk**
2 Tbsp olive oil
200g crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 large spring onion, thinly sliced

* If you can’t find za-atar, you can use this recipe to make your own.

** Buttermilk is for sale in the UK at some branches of ASDA, Morrison’s Tesco and Sainsbury’s (it is in the fridge with the cream) or online from Goodness Direct.  For a homemade substitute, mix one teaspoon of lemon juice into every cup of milk that you need for our recipe.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Lightly grease a 25x10cm loaf pan (or use silicone like I did).   Slice the olives and green onions and crumble the feta.

In a medium-sized bowl mix together the flours, the za’atar, baking powder, and salt.  In a separate bowl mix together the beaten eggs, buttermilk, and oil.  Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring just enough to ensure all the ingredients are moistened – but do not over-mix.  Fold in the olives, green onions, and feta.

Spoon the batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle a little more Za’atar over the top.  Bake 40-45 minutes (about 10 minutes longer if in silicone), or until bread is cooked through and lightly browned on top.  Use a wooden or bamboo skewer to test this – insert the skewer into the middle of the bread and remove – it should come out clean and dry when the bread is ready.
Gently remove the hot bread from the loaf pan and let it cool on a wire rack for 10 or 15 minutes (leaving it to cool too long in the pan will allow condensation to form and the bottom crust may become soggy).  Serve hot, with butter.
I am submitting this recipe to Bookmarked Recipes, the event created by Ruth of Ruth’s Kitchen Experiments and hosted by Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes.  Deadline for this month is 27 August so there is still time to enter!

More deliciousness for you!

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  • Spinach, bacon & feta quicheSpinach, bacon & feta quiche
  • Feta-filled chicken breasts wrapped in baconFeta-filled chicken breasts wrapped in bacon
  • Butternut squash, feta and rosemary quiche for a food blogger picnicButternut squash, feta and rosemary quiche for a food blogger picnic

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  1. Móna Wise says

    August 9, 2011 at 9:24 am

    I love anything that is ‘quick’ also but still am too lazy to make or bake it.
    I do not think you can go wring with feta, olives, onions and Za’atar.
    This bread sounds great Jeanne.
    I was thinking about you all night last night and hope you are ok.
    I cannot imagine how stressful it must be to feel like your city is under siege.
    xxx

    Reply
  2. Sanjeeta kk says

    August 9, 2011 at 9:25 am

    I like the Feta cheese and black olives in this quick bread…have never tried this combo before. Me too love quick bakes…those buttery flaky pastries are a far cry. Lovely crust and texture for the loaf.

    Reply
  3. Linda Mostert says

    August 9, 2011 at 9:30 am

    Where on earth do I find Za’atar??

    Reply
  4. nina says

    August 9, 2011 at 10:30 am

    Yes indeed, I also had to do a few things this year that I swore I would never do, I suppose the secret here is to be open to learning all the time and I learn something new every time I visit this site. Thank you!
    I must say, the idea of toasting this bread sounds really good!!

    Reply
  5. Jayasri says

    August 9, 2011 at 11:17 am

    Wow wonderful bread, what is za’atar?, I have never used it, I have made bread with white flour with olives, feta with yeast not with eggs and usual bread making way, this one is way different with whole wheat flour, looks gorgeous..

    Reply
  6. bellini says

    August 9, 2011 at 11:54 am

    I always say I am not a baker either but you will find me keep trying to perfect recipes in my kitchen. There are many disasters and frustrations let me tell you:D

    Reply
  7. thelittleloaf says

    August 9, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    I love baking but it’s still nice to find a simple recipe I can throw together quickly! This looks gorgeous and I love the idea of including za’atar. And fresh for a week? Amazing, will definitely be making.

    Reply
  8. Kalyn says

    August 9, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    When it comes to baking I’m both lazy and also not that skilled, so I can relate to just how you feel about it as well. So glad you enjoyed the bread so much. It’s definitely on my list of “things to make for guests” now.
    The news from London is so sad. I think you are still away, right? So sorry to hear about it.

    Reply
  9. Portrait photographer Essex says

    August 9, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    thanks for sharing great info & nice food.

    Reply
  10. Kat says

    August 9, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    oh, I recognize myself so well in this post. in the statements that sound absolute but turn out not to be true and the lazy baker issue as well. And this bread looks so good, I wonder if it will work if I just mix the things you said on my own. For some reason I doubt I’ll find the mixed spice in the shops here.

    Reply
  11. Simone says

    August 9, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    Love the look of that bread Jeanne and hmm, maybe I should count myself a lazy baker too… It has kind of nice ring to it.. ‘lazy baker’… Could be the new popgroup ‘the lazy bakers’! Sorry… mind wandering… 🙂
    I hope you’re allright. I think your back from Dubai right? I have no idea which part of London you live but I hope it’s not in one of the riots areas. The photos and footage I’ve seen are absolutely shocking.
    Stay safe!

    Reply
  12. Kevin (Closet Cooking) says

    August 10, 2011 at 12:29 am

    This savoury quick bread sounds really good!

    Reply
  13. Firefly says

    August 10, 2011 at 7:54 am

    Impatience is my middle name, except when I get out there to take pictures

    Reply
  14. Ken, hungry rabbit says

    August 10, 2011 at 11:53 am

    This looks absolutely mouth watering. It has all my favorite ingredients plus za-atar that I can’t get enough of. Thanks for putting inches around my waistline.

    Reply
  15. Herschelian says

    August 10, 2011 at 1:11 pm

    Aggh – when I saw the title of this post I thought: ‘Yippee – I can’t get decent bread easily in Beijing and so this will be just the job’, then I read the ingredients – I can get olives and feta here, and surprisingly za’atar is available (though I still have some of the stash I brought from London)- but BUTTERMILK, well pigs would fly before I could find that here. Do you think watered-down plain organic yoghurt would be a decent substitute?

    Reply
  16. Marisa says

    August 11, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    From one lazy baker to another, this sounds like my kinda bread.

    Reply
  17. Krista says

    August 13, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    I’m SO glad you’re a lazy baker too! I adore eating intricately baked items but oh, I’d so much rather whip together easy scones and a melted butter crust. 🙂 This bread looks and sounds fantastic. 🙂

    Reply
  18. Caprera says

    November 5, 2015 at 2:11 pm

    Bread with olives is amazing! Adding feta cheese and onions makes it truly delicious!

    Reply
  19. Rachel says

    April 24, 2017 at 7:25 am

    I like quick bakes to have quick bites. I believe this recipe will be very easy to cook. Thanks for sharing Jeanne.

    Reply
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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