Bulgarian Bird of Paradise Bread - Khliab Raiska Ptitsa - is a yeast bread that gets its name from the decorative placement of cheese, ham, olives and red pepper on the top. If you like a thick slice of cheese as I do, the bread will have a sunken middle, which is OK. But the rising dough will be better able to support thin slices of cheese and ham so the entire top is puffed up.
Here's a larger picture of Bird of Paradise Bread.
Makes 10-12 servings of Bird of Paradise Bread
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- Dough:
- 1 tablespoon instant active dry yeast (not rapid rise)
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 4 large eggs plus 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup feta or brinza cheese, finely crumbled
- 1 tablespoon milk
- .
- Topping:
- 1 thin slice kashkaval or Cheddar cheese, cut into 4 triangles
- 4 (1/2-inch-by-1 1/2-inch) rectangles of ham
- 4 pitted cured black olives
- 1 star-shaped piece of red bell pepper
Preparation:
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, water and flour. Add yogurt, 4 eggs, salt and feta or brinza cheese. Switch to the dough hook and knead unil a soft, sticky, slightly lumpy (because of the cheese) dough forms, about 7 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with greased plastic, set in a warm place and let rise until doubled. Try this Quick Tip for fasting rising.
- Punch down dough and place in a greased 8-inch springform pan that is 3 inches high. Brush liberally with remaining beaten egg mixed with milk.
- To decorate, arrange kashkaval or Cheddar cheese triangles on top to form a square. Place ham and olives in between cheese and place the star of red pepper in the center. Let rise another 45 minutes.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake bread 15 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees. Cool a few minutes in pan, then turn out of pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
