Mama’s Sausage Bread – Serves 8
| Preparation time: | 30 minutes | |
| Cooking time: | 40-50 minutes | |
| Ready in: | 1 hour 20 minutes (ish) | |
| Ingredients: | 2lbs loose sweet Italian sausage links (or remove casings from 2lbs of links) 3 eggs 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional) 1 lb grated mozzarella cheese (approx. 4 cups) 6 cups flour (set aside 1 cup of the 6) 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 envelope rapid rise dry yeast 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 tablespoons finely grated locatelli cheese or parmesan cheese (optional) |
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| Directions: | 1. In frying pan, brown sausage over medium high heat. 2. Drain drippings and let cool. 3. Mix 2 eggs, basil, fennel seeds and mozzarella into cooled sausage and set aside. 4. In large bowl, combine 5 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. 5. In small sauce pan, heat water, milk and butter until hot to the touch (about 125°), and stir into dry mixture. 6. Mix in only enough of the reserved 1 cup of flour to make a soft dough. 7. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes). 8. Cover dough and let rest for about 10 minutes. 9. Divide dough in half, set one half aside. 10. Roll half the dough into a 6″ x 18″ rectangle. 11. Spoon half the sausage mixture evenly over the dough to within a 1/2 of the edges. 12. Fold the dough over the sausage filling and overlap the dough by about 1 1/2″, seal seam and ends by pinching dough together. 13. Carefully transfer filled dough to a greased baking sheet in a horseshoe shape. 14. With a very sharp knife or razor, make slashes in the top of dough about 1/2″ deep and about 2″ apart. 15. Repeat rolling and filling with remaining piece of dough. 16. Beat remaining egg and brush over both loves of bread. 17. Lightly sprinkle 1 TB of Locatelli or Parmesan cheese over each loaf (optional). 18. Cover loaves and let rise until doubled (about 40-50 minutes). 19. Bake in preheated 375° oven for about 25-30 minutes or until done. 20. Remove from baking sheets and cool slightly. 21. Serve warm. 22. Refrigerate leftovers. 23. Bread can be made a day ahead of time and then warmed in the oven before serving. |
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