Savory Cottage Cheese & Herb Loaf

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

end cottage cheese: Blend 300 grams cottage cheese (2%) until completely smooth. This prevents large curds from disrupting the dough structure and ensures even moisture distribution.

Step 2

2 Load liquids: Add 80 milliliters warm water (about 110°F), the blended cottage cheese, 180 grams liquid egg whites, 40 milliliters olive oil, and 10 grams honey to the bread machine pan.

Step 3

3 Load dry ingredients: Add 440 grams bread flour, 60 grams vital wheat gluten, 30 grams nonfat dry milk powder, and 7 grams instant yeast on top of the liquids, keeping the yeast away from the salt. Add 8 grams salt and 2 grams black pepper to the side of the pan, not directly on the yeast.

Step 4

4 Add mix-ins: Add 60 grams sun-dried tomatoes, dry-packed, roughly chopped, 40 grams parmesan, finely grated, 30 grams roasted garlic cloves, roughly mashed (about 1 head), and 5 grams fresh rosemary, finely chopped on top. If your machine has a mix-in beeper, you can hold these back and add them when it signals — but adding them at the start works fine for this dough since they're sturdy ingredients.

Step 5

5 Select cycle & bake: Run on the Basic or White Bread cycle, light crust setting.

Step 6

6 Cool before slicing: Remove the loaf immediately when done and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Cutting into a hot loaf compresses the crumb. Slice into 6 equal portions.

Step 7

7 Reheat: Reheat individual slices in a toaster oven at 325°F for 5–8 minutes, or microwave for 30–45 seconds. Toaster oven is strongly preferred — it restores the crust and warms evenly without making the crumb gummy.