Za’atar Chili Feta Bread

The unique cutting technique for this bread makes it extra fun to pull apart and eat. Obviously, if you want to make more of these, by all means use all three pieces of the Honey and Olive Oil Challah dough that the recipe yields.

Makes 1 loaf

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

BREAD

⅓ recipe Honey and Olive Oil Challah dough

All-purpose flour, for your work surface

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ cups (6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese, gently patted dry

2 tablespoons Za’atar Spice Blend or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped za’atar or oregano leaves

1 medium jalapeño, seeded and very finely diced, or ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

EGG WASH AND TOPPING

1 large egg

Pinch of fine sea salt

Make the bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

If you’ve chilled the challah dough you reserved for this recipe, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then sprinkle the feta, za’atar, and jalapeño over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Working from the short end of the dough, roll the dough into a log, pulling and tightening as you go along (if the dough sticks slightly to the surface, gently release it from the counter using a pastry scraper or just gently tug; once you get it going it will be fine). Arrange the dough on a large parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with one of the ends facing you. Hold a pair of long, sharp scissors at a 45-degree angle with the point facing the top of the log and cut into the dough in 1-inch intervals, cutting almost to the bottom of the log but not all the way through to the bottom (you should have about 8 or 9 cuts that look sort of like a bird’s beak). Use your hands to pull the snipped pieces away from the center, alternating one to the left and one to the right. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise until fluffy and doubled in thickness, 45 to 50 minutes.

Bake the loaf: Make the egg wash by mixing the egg, 1 tablespoon of water, and the salt together in a small bowl. Gently brush the entire surface of the bread. Bake until golden, 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and let people pull pieces from the hot bread.