Italian Chop-Block Bread

If you read my previous post, you will have learned about my recent purchase. My bright, shiny, Empire-Red Kitchenaid Mixer. So yes, unfortunately I will now include instructions that involve using such fabulous inventions as the Dough Hook, etc. If you do not have a stand-up mixer with a dough hook, I believe you could still execute this recipe using traditional kneading techniques. But I do not guarantee it.

Anyhow, this time I tried something new: photographing step-by-step instructions. Let me know how you like or dislike it. Sometimes it's just nice to know how it's "supposed to look".

Italian Chop-Block Bread

Preheat oven to 400° (375° for convection) – Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1 pkg. dry yeast

1 c. warm water plus 2 T.

2 T. sugar

3 ½-4 c. bread flour

1 T. salt

¼ c. olive oil plus approx. 1 T.

1 T. cornmeal

1 small can sliced black olives

¾ c. chopped turkey pepperoni

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pinch of onion salt

2 dashes garlic powder

2-3 dashes basil

Preparation:

In the bowl of your mixer (I realized after I began that this would have been easier with the bowl off the stand. Or I could have just removed the dough hook. I guess I wasn't thinking very well.) pour in the yeast, sugar and water, and stir gently to incorporate. 

Let it set for about three minutes, or until visibly multiplied. It can be quite entertaining to watch the yeast grow ;) I used the Hodgson's Mill yeast, and have always had great results with that. While the yeast is setting, mix the salt with the 2 T. water until dissolved.

Once the yeast has expanded, place the bowl under your mixer and attach the dough hook. Set to “Stir” speed and slowly add flour. Add saltwater and oil.

When the mixture begins to form a dough, increase speed to 2 and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding flour if needed. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough from the hook - I ended up doing this about 7-8 times. It should take approximately 10 minutes.

 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and fold it in on itself a couple of times, then form into a ball.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of your bowl and roll it around. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and rotate it to cover its entire surface in the oil, to ensure it does not form a skin while rising.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and set in a warm place to rise (my mom was making cookies while I was doing this, so the warm stove top was perfect.). Here comes the hard part: Don't touch it, don't look at it. Let it rise for 45 minutes, or until doubled.

During the last ten minutes, gather your remaining ingredients.

Chop the pepperoni and grate the cheese. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round metal cake pan with olive oil and dust with the cornmeal.

Remove your risen dough to a lightly floured surface. Add some of the olives, cheese and pepperoni, and knead until fully incorporated, adding the rest halfway through. Pinch off one-inch “balls” of the dough mixture and line the outside of the pan. Continue adding dough balls, moving around and inward, until all the dough mixture is used up. You may need a second layer.

Brush the top with olive oil, and then sprinkle on the onion salt, garlic powder, and basil (Pretty much the three best spices around). Place in the oven and let bake for 20 minutes, or until well-browned on the top.

Do not remove too early or the center will not cook. Let cool for five minutes on a wire rack, then slide a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the loaf. Tip the pan upside down; the loaf should come out easily. Flip it right-side up onto a plate or serving platter. Pull apart and stuff your face :)

Enjoy!




*Original recipe can be found here