Italian Sausage and Cheese Bread
This homemade bread loaf combines Italian sausage and provolone cheese inside a fresh bread dough that is rolled up into a French loaf and baked to golden brown. The "almost No-Knead' dough is adapted from the America's Test Kitchen version of the dough used in no-knead bread, but any bread dough recipe can also be substituted.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- French Loaf Pan or sheet pan
- Large Bowl
- Fry Pan
Ingredients
- 16 oz Sweet or Hot Italian Sausage
- 1/2 lb sliced provolone (torn into strips)
Dough
- 3 cups Bread Flour
- 1 tsp Instant Yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cup water (Plus 2 tbsp)
- 6 tbsp Lager Beer
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Mix together all the bread ingredients in a glass bowl and combine until a shaggy dough ball forms.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let proof for 12-18 hours.
- Remove dough from bowl and knead gently for about 8-10 kneads until have a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brown the Italian sausage and set aside on a paper towel to drain.
- Divide dough into 2. Roll out each half to a rectangle 12 inches long by 7 inches wide. Top each with half the sausage and half the cheese, leaving an inch along the long edge on one side. Starting on the opposite long edge, roll the dough over onto the sausage and cheese like a jelly roll forming a long loaf. Pinch edges closed making sure to seal well to prevent from bursting while baking. Place each loaf into a french bread pan or onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1-1/2 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Using a sharp knife add small slits to the top of each loaf for steam to escape. Bake for 35-40 minutes. If using a french bread pan put a baking pan under the loaves in the oven to catch any cheese or juices bubbling from the loaves. Add water to the pan under the loaves to create steam in the oven and crisp the loaves. Remove from oven when golden brown.
- Let loaf cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve while still warm.