Bread Dough Ingredients (makes 1 loaf):
3 cups bread flour - 12.75 oz
2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 whole milk at 100F*
1/3 water at 100F*
3 Tbsp olive oil
Tuscan Bread Filling Ingredients:
3/4 cup garlic scape pesto (you can use any type of pesto)
1/3 cup basil, chopped
1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes*
French Bread Filling Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced in half rings*
1 cup marbled blue cheese, shredded*
Directions:
1. Place milk and water
into a 1 cup liquid measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 10-15
seconds. The target temperature of the
mixture is around 100F. Add the yeast to
this mixture. The extra heat helps the
yeast get going. Let soak for around 5
minutes.
2. Combine the flour, salt,
egg, olive oil and yeast mixture in a bowl and mix until just incorporated. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and
knead by hand until the dough is smooth and uniform. The dough should be very soft.
3. Place the dough in a
lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until
it's doubled in size. Repeat steps 1 through 3 if you want to make both flavors.
4. Meanwhile, prep the
filling ingredients. Chop the onions and
sauté them in a little bit of olive oil on low heat until caramelized (this will
take 30 minutes to 1 hour). Drain the tomatoes,
and pat dry and chop.
5. Gently deflate the
dough. Flatten and pat it into a 22" x 8 1/2" rectangle. Spread with
the filling ingredients.
6. Starting with one long
edge, roll the dough into a log the long way. Pinch the edges to seal. Place
the log seam-side down on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Using kitchen shears
or a razor blade, start 1/2" from one end and cut the log lengthwise down
the center about 1" deep, to within 1/2" of the other end.
8. Keeping the cut side
up, form an "S" shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the
"S" to form a "figure 8;" pinch the ends together to seal.
9. Cover and let rise in
a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes.*
10. While the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. I like to bake my bread on a pizza stone in the oven. If using a stone, make sure to preheat for at least 30 minutes.
11. Uncover the bread, and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it
with foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.*
12. Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to
cool. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store, well-wrapped, at room
temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.
Recommended Alterations:
*I plan to use 1 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes next time.
*I plan to use 2 onions instead of 1 to get more flavor next time.
*The marbled blue cheese I had to use up is unique to Wisconsin, I have never seen it before. Next time I would use normal blue cheese crumbles and start with 1/2 cup crumbles, since it can have a very strong flavor.
*Since I made two doughs back to back, the first bread had to wait a lot longer on its second rise before it was baked. This resulted in the asymmetrical bake. If you want to bake two loaves, I would delay making the second dough by 45 minutes.
*I didn't need to tent the bread since I like a really deep golden brown on my breads. Although I'm wondering if I baked it for too long and that is why it was a little dry. Next time I plan on baking to an internal temperature of 190F. My loaves were around 205F when I took them out of the oven.
