Sausage & Red Pepper Bread

Sausage & Red Pepper Bread

Adapted from: Diana Albanese, Classic Thyme Cooking School, Westfield, NJ

Makes 2 Loaves

OBJ: TCW be able to apply her bread-making skills to her home

Starter

1 cup hot water (105-115º)

1 package of active dry yeast

1 cup all purpose unbleached flour

Bread

8 oz. sweet sausage, taken out of casing

1 cup thinly diced pieces of red bell pepper

1 cup cool water

4-5 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. crushed anise seeds

3-4 tbsp. freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil for oiling bowl

Cornmeal for dusting pans

Procedures:

1.      To make starter, use bowl of an electric mixer and warm it with hot water. Wipe and place 1 cup of warm water in bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of flour until combined.

2.      Set aside covered with a towel/plastic wrap for 30 minutes- or until you need it

3.      While starter is resting, place sausage in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break

up meat as it is cooking

4.      When cooked, transfer to a food processor. Pulse several times to chop to fine.

5.      Add cool water to starter in the bowl of the electric mixer with paddle attachment. Set on slow speed.

Add flour 1 cup at a time, stopping at the fourth cup.

6.      Add salt and anise seeds. Dough will be rough looking and feel wet. Switch to dough hook and add 3-4 tablespoons of flour at a time. Knead dough with dough hook, adding a few more tablespoons of flour until it feels slightly firm.

7.      Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a rectangle. Cover with towel and rest for 15 minutes.

8.      Stretch dough to make a large rectangle. Cover with sausage, pepper slices, and cheese. Roll up into a loose roll and gently knead sausage and peppers into dough. You are basically working the sausage, peppers, and cheese into the dough. Knead for about 5 minutes.

9.   Shape into a loose ball and transfer to oiled bowl. Turn dough to coat in oil. Cover with towel/plastic wrap and set aside to rise for about an hour, up to 2 hours.

10.  Cover a sheet pan with parchment. Sprinkle 2 strips of cornmeal down the paper to lay the bread dough

on. Take dough from bowl and divide it in half on a lightly floured surface.

11.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees

12.  Shape dough into logs and lengthen them to fit on sheet pan. Dust loaves with flour. Cover with a towel

while oven is preheating.

13.  When loaves have doubled in size, about 30 minutes,  score tops several times with a sharp knife (make slits)

14.  Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Lower heat to 425 degrees and continue baking for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown

15.  Transfer to a rack to cool

© Diana Albanese

*** Serve with Liquid Gold, next recipeJ***