We Knead to Bake - Savoury Kugekhopf

It has been very quiet here for the past few months. We had relocated to a new country and thus the lull. It seems to me that this once it has taken longer than usual to be fully settled and be back in routine.
I have had to miss baking along with the group, guided by Aparna for the last three breads. Those, I am soon baking and will also share the recipes. This month's chosen bread was a savoury Kugelhopf. Kugelhopf is a sweet cake baked with yeast. Regarding the origin and related history of this cake please read them in Aparna's  post. Also that it is baked in a specific pan thus giving it a rounded and risen shape. It is baked in many regions not just as an everyday dish, but also to mark special occasions.

We trod away from the traditional sweet version and tried the lesser known spiced savoury bread for this month. However, I did not have the right type of pan and had to bake it in the normal loaf tin. We liked the spices and the texture of this slightly heavy bread. It pairs well as a side for soup or even with tea. It also makes for a good breakfast, which we enjoyed.

This bread had eggs in the list of ingredients which I have substituted with flax seed powder. The given quantity of ingredients were sufficient to bake one big loaf in the regular size pan. If you are using a bundt pan or the kugelhopf pan it will require an 8" diameter pan.

Ingredients:
3 to 3&1/2cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt ( or more as per individual's taste)
75 grams butter at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons flax seed powder mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water ( this is substitute for 2 eggs lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon oil
1/3 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/3 cup firm tomatoes, seeds and pulp removed and chopped fine
1 cup onions finely chopped
1/2 cup any sharp cheese diced
1/3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Method:
Put 3 cups of flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of the processor. 
Pulse a couple of times to mix. Then add the butter in small parts, and process till well incorporated. 
Warm the milk slightly. Add this to the above and process till mixed. 
Add the flax seed water mixture to this and process till mixed. The resultant will be a soft and sticky dough. Knead some more, adding more flour, a little at a time and just enough till the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Do not add more flour than absolutely necessary. 
This dough will be very soft, elastic and just short of sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and keep aside to rise until double in volume. This can take from 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, heat 1/2 a teaspoon oil in a pan. Add the chopped green bell pepper, the tomato and a pinch of salt and stir-fry till the raw smell disappears but the vegetables are still crisp and crunchy. Remove and keep aside. 

In the same pan, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt till they turn golden brown. Remove and mix them with the tomatoes and bell peppers and keep aside.
Oil the walls and floor of the pan. Place some of the chopped walnuts in the bottom of the mould. If  using a loaf tin, keep aside some walnuts to press on top of the dough after the second rise, just before baking. 
Once the dough has risen, deflate it. Then work the cheese, stir-fried onions, bell pepper and tomato, the remaining walnuts, black pepper and thyme into the dough.Roll the dough out and spread the above mixture over the surface, fold the dough over and then knead it. This will ensure uniform incorporation of the “filling”. The dough will be a bit sticky, so it is recommended to use a scraper to help with the kneading. do not add more flour.

If using a kugelhopf mould or a circular bundt pan, roll the dough into a long log enough to fit into the mould comfortably. Lift the “log” of dough and place it in the mould in a circular fashion and pinch the two ends together to close the “circle” of dough. Cover and let the dough rise for about an hour or so, until it reaches the edge/ rim of the mould.
I had to just roll it well in a cylinder and fit into my loaf tin. I pressed the walnuts kept aside earlier on the top of this before the second rise.
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C. Bake the kugelhopf at 200 degrees C for about 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when it is tapped. 

When done, allow to cool slightly and remove from the pan/ mould. Let it cool on a rack. Slice and serve. 
This Kugelhopf should serve about 10 people and is also good for breakfast, as a snack or served with a simple soup.