This is the filled bread after we cut it.
It's quite easy to make. You can use any flavorful yeast dough, but I use my own variation on Italian Feather Bread from Beard on Bread.
Mix: 1 pack yeast with 1/2 C. warm water & 1 Tblsp. honey. Let Proof
Add: 1 & 1/4 C. warm water, 1/3 C. olive oil, 1-2 tsp. salt. Mix well
Add: 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 C. flour. The dough will be soft and sticky. Keep hands and board well floured. Knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. Knead for a few more minutes.
Or put it all in a food processor and you are done.
Let the dough rest a few minutes. Depending on how much filling you have cut it in half or use it all. I usually err on the side of caution and use the whole thing, then trim when I have the filling in place. Roll the dough out into an oblong. It should be about as thin as pizza dough.
I use just about anything for filling. This one had 3/4 lb. sausage a bag of spinach an onion, 4 small potatoes and 2 eggs. I precook everything and drain it well. Season as desired. You should have at least 6 Cups of filling. (Save the drained juice to throw into soup.) Beat the eggs and mix them into the filling. (Sometimes I save some egg to brush on top.) It makes a gloppy mess. Mix it up and place it down the center of the length of the dough. I trim the dough at this point if I have too much on the sides.
You can pull the sides up and fold them like a package. Cut some steam vents.
I like to make five or six slashes on each side. Pull the ends of the dough up and over the filling and tuck in. Alternate folding the strips over to make a pretty braid.
Let rise about thirty minutes. It shouldn't be too risen. Brush on the egg, if desired, just before baking. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes. I turn it half way through baking. I generally check the internal temp with a quick read thermometer. It should be about 200. Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting.
I bake on my bread tile which I place on a rimmed cookie sheet. There always seems to be leakage somewhere.
The rest of the dough can be formed into a loaf or buns. Let rise until doubled in size. Bake until interior temp reaches 200.
ENJOY !
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| Beach Lady Whistle |
I think of these as harbingers of summer, and yes I will be overjoyed when the trees leaf out again. I miss the light as much as the warmth. The sun is going down about 4:10 today.
I made a group of these in memory of all the ladies in my childhood who used to sit in their chairs on the sand by the boardwalk. The chatter and gossip was nonstop. The skin is not right. They were so tan from years of sitting in the sun that they were like well preserved leather.
More rain today. After the drought of last year I never thought I would get tired of rain, but......there you are!
Thanks for stopping by...........-s-
THUMBS up girl, thanks for sharing! I have made and experimented with calzones many times and just realized it is much the same as what you say here. Like, cook ingredients and drain before putting into the dough and baking. This looks impossibly tasty! As far as ladies on the beach goes, I remember when I was little we lived in Connecticut near the ocean. Or Sound, really. The waves were always tiny and tame. The first time we went to Rhode Island on a beautiful day and went to a beach there were ENORMOUS Atlantic waves to jump through, oh WOW! Loved it :)
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! This looks so good- I have a recipe that I use giving to me by my sister that is similar but i forget about it- this would be a great pot luck idea!
ReplyDeleteHi Gary....yes, very much like a calzone....only fatter. There are still good waves in RI; once you're around Pt. Judith it's the Atlantic Ocean and Spain.....thus surfing.
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith....the bread is really just a big pirogi, and it is a great potluck meal.!
Hi Suzi,
ReplyDeleteThe bread looks really good and thanks for sharing the recipe.
Your little Lady you found is cute.
Have a lovely weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
Thanks for stopping by, Carolyn.
ReplyDelete