Salami and Cheese wheat bread

 

For two 1 pound loaves

 

Please note that I am not paid to endorse any products, I’m just telling you what has worked for me.

 

Start by dicing 1 Cup of Salami.  Dice on the small side; make the cubes about ¼ inch.  I prefer Gallo Italian Dry salami, but you are welcome to use your favorite.  Also, cut 6 slices of salami.  Set prepared salami aside for later.  As an alternative, you can substitute pre-cooked bacon crumbles for the salami.

 

To make the dough ball:

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2 & 3/8 cups warm water

3 tbs vegetable oil (I use Canola)

4 & 1/3 tbs honey (I use Wild Mountain)

1 Cup diced salami

(if you use shredded cheese instead of diced cheese, add it here instead of folding it in while you knead the dough)

½ tsp salt

2 & ¼ cups whole wheat flour

2 & ¼ cups bread flour

1 & ½ tsp bread machine yeast

 

Add ingredients in the order listed, set bread machine to “Dough”.

 

While you are waiting for the dough, dice two cups of medium-sharp cheddar.  Dice these on the larger side; make the cubes about ½ inch.  Set the cheddar aside for later.  I’ve found it best to place one cup of diced cheddar into a bowl and the other cup of diced cheddar into a different bowl – each bowl should hold approximately the same amount, but doing it this way takes less time once the yeast has started – this means the loaves will more likely appear identical in size.  Set the remainder of the cheddar aside for grating later.  I have had wonderful results with Safeway’s Lucerne brand cheese.

 

Place about two teaspoons of butter into a small sauce pan (or a butter pan); you will want to melt it later.

 

Grease two bread pans.

 

Once bread machine cycle is complete (and the dough ball has risen), move to heavily-floured bread board.  It’s ok if the dough is a little on the “wet” side, since you’ll be adding flour to it as kneaded (yes, that’s a pun).

 

Punch down & knead, split the dough ball into two loaves.

 

Add one cup of diced cheese to each loaf of dough while kneading.

 

Pinch edges of dough together at ends and the seam, place each loaf seam-down into greased baking pan.

 

Brush loaf tops with melted butter, sprinkle tops with shredded cheese and place three slices of salami on top of each loaf (if you substituted bacon for salami, sprinkle bacon crumbles on top of the loaves instead of toping with salami slices).

 

Let rise again.

 

I usually let the bread rise for 40 minutes, and start the oven pre-heating about 30 minutes into the last rising.

 

Place into pre-heated oven (350 degrees for glass pans, 375 degrees for metal pans) for 35 minutes or until done.

 

Let loaves cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pans.

 

Breads with meats or cheese in them will need to be refrigerated.

 

This bread is an amazing delicacy.  Don’t be surprised if it disappears in a hurry!

 

Copyright © 2013 by Kurt Schultz

License granted for personal use; permission to publish retained.