Association of Connecticut Fairs
2011 Adult Baking Contest
Rustic Cheese & Rosemary Bread
INGREDIENTS:
3.75 to 4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 package dry yeast, instant, 2 ¼ teaspoons
1 ¼ cups warm water, 120 to 125 degrees
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups, approximately 5oz, shredded Asiago cheese (not grated), separated
¼ cup, approximately 1 oz, shredded Parmigianino cheese (not grated)
Cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 _ cups of the flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, yeast package and stir until well mixed.
- Add the warm water to the flour mixture slowly while beating with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, stopping frequently to scrape batter from side and bottom of the bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap; let stand about 1 hour in a warm draft free area.
- In a small cup, combine olive oil, rosemary and salt. Stir olive oil mixture into the above flour mixture. Stir in or use an electric stand mixer with a dough hook, enough of the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough is soft, leaves side of bowl and is not sticky. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; let rest for 15 minutes.
- Place dough onto a floured surface and kneed for 8 minutes, sprinkling surface with more flour if dough starts to stick, until dough is smooth and springy. Dough should not be wet or sticky.
- Combine 1 cup Asiago and ¼ cup Parmigianino cheese and kneed cheeses into the dough for 3 minutes or until fully incorporated. Spray large bowl with the cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm area for 1 hour.
- Lightly spray a cookie sheet with the cooking spray. Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate it. Place dough on floured surface and gently shape into football-shaped loaf, about 12 inches long. Place loaf on the cookie sheet. Coat loaf with flour to prevent sticking. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place 45 to 60 minutes or until loaf has almost doubled in size.
- Move oven racks to lowest and middle positions. Place an 8 inch square pan on the bottom oven rack; add hot water to the pan until almost full. Heat the oven to 450 ° F.
- Pour a small amount of cool water into a clean spray bottle. Spray the loaf lightly with water; sprinkle with a small amount of flour. Dip a sharp thin knife into cool water and carefully cut a ½ inch deep slash lengthwise down the center of the loaf. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Asiago cheese into the slash.
- Place loaf and cookie sheet in the oven and give the oven a few sprites' of cool water, away from the light bulb, before closing the door. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 400 ° F. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until loaf is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes.
- Submit the whole loaf (DO NOT CUT) on a plate or covered cardboard not to exceed 1” in size around each side of bread.
