Italian Cuisine
Bread ingredients:
- ½ cup warm water.
- 1 ½ cups warm milk.
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast.
- 1 tbsp sugar.
- 5 to 5 ½ cups flour.
- 2 tsp salt.
- 1 egg.
Pesto bread ingredients:
- ¼ cup pesto.
Sundried tomato bread ingredients:
- ¼ cup sundried tomato pesto or sun dried tomato paste.
- 1 heaping tbsp of chopped sun dried tomatoes.
Olive bread ingredients:
- 2 to 4 tbsp finely chopped Kalamata olives.
- Several halved Kalamata olives (seeds removed).
- Chopped basil, optional.
Directions:
- Add yeast to warm water.
- Measure in milk and sugar, and mix until dissolved.
- Add 2 cups of flour, mix well, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the salt then add flour 1 cup at a time until dough is a good consistency (not too sticky).
- Divide dough into thirds.
- For each of the 3 breads knead in the ingredients listed above until they are evenly distributed.
- You will need to add more flour to get dough to the right consistency again.
- Place each ball in a greased bowl, and let rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours, they should double in size.
- Punch each dough ball down, knead a little, and then divide in half.
- Roll out each of the colors into about 1 inch thick strands and braid together.
- The recipe makes 2 loaves.
- Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
- Whisk egg and 1 tbsp water together. Brush dough with egg wash.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees.