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Isn't this just the PRETTIEST bread you've ever seen? I recently got a new catalog from King Arthur Flour and it was on the cover. I am determined to make this so I thought you bread bakers, especially YOU, Norm, might like to make it as well. Beth, I know it has cheese in it but I think you like mozzarella and Parmesan so you could either omit the cheese -- a crime! -- or put whatever cheese you do like in there.
Those of you who like to bake cakes, breads, scones, and just about anything, KingArthurFlour.com has wonderful recipes for all of these things. Plus they have bakers right there to help you via phone or chat, too, if you need help (people like me, a novice baker, really appreciate the at the ready help). And if you read the reviews of a recipe before you make the item, you'll see problems others may have had and the staff's solution to their problem. Love that website but I always order too much stuff when I go there!
Pane Biano
Recipe from KingArthurFlour.com/Recipe by Dianna Wara of Washington, Illinois/Took First Place, National Festival of Breads.
This recipe makes a tasty loaf filled with fresh basil, tomatoes, garlic, and shredded cheese; the bread has wonderful soft texture and is packed with flavor. The unique shape is simple to achieve and makes an impressive presentation.
Dough:
3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour*
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/3 cup lukewarm water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
*See "Tips" below.
Filling:
3/4 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese or the cheese of your choice
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes or your own oven-roasted tomatoes
3 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, green or purple
1. Combine all of the dough ingredients in a bowl (or the bucket of your bread machine), and mix and knead — by hand, using a mixer, or in your bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a smooth, very soft dough. The dough should stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl if you're using a stand mixer.
2. 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.
3. Meanwhile, thoroughly drain the tomatoes, patting them dry. Use kitchen shears to cut them into smaller bits.
4. Gently deflate the dough. Flatten and pat it into a 22" x 8 1/2" rectangle. Spread with the cheese, tomatoes, garlic, and basil.
5. 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.
6. Using kitchen shears, 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.
7. 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.
8. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes.
9. While the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
10. Uncover the bread, and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.
11. 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.
Tips from our bakers:
*Substitute all-purpose flour 1:1 for the bread flour in the recipe, if desired. Reduce the water to 1/4 cup.
**When making anything with yeast, including this bread, let the dough rise to the point the recipe says it should, e.g., "Let the dough rise until it's doubled in bulk." Rising times are only a guide; there are so many variables in yeast baking that it's impossible to say that bread dough will ALWAYS double in bulk in a specific amount of time.
**Chop your basil with kitchen shears, just as you do the sun-dried tomatoes.
