French Asiago Bubble Bread Recipes

ARTISAN ASIAGO BREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar and yeast. Add warm water. Beat with whisk or electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; let stand about 1 hour or until bubbly.
• Stir in oil, rosemary and salt. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft, smooth dough forms. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Knead in 1 cup of the cheese. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 45 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Lightly grease uninsulated cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Gently shape into football-shaped loaf, about 12 inches long, by stretching sides of dough downward to make a smooth top. Place loaf with smooth side up on cookie sheet. Coat loaf generously with flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place 45 to 60 minutes or until dough has almost doubled in size.
• Place 8- or 9-inch square pan on bottom rack of oven; add hot water to pan until about 1/2 inch from the top. Heat oven to 450°F.
• Spray loaf with cool water; sprinkle with flour. Using serrated knife, carefully cut 1/2-inch-deep slash lengthwise down center of loaf. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese into slash.
• Bake 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 cooling rack; cool.

GARLIC-ASIAGO PULL-APART BREAD

Steps:

• Roll and stretch the dough into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Combine the butter, parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes and a big pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread over the dough; sprinkle with 3/4 cup grated asiago, pressing lightly. Cut the dough into 16 small squares and make 4 stacks of 4 squares each.
• Place each stack on its side in a buttered 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Gently separate the dough layers so the dough fills the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago.
• Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough rises by half its size, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the loaf until it's browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes (tent with foil if it's browning too quickly). Let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then loosen the edges with a knife. Remove to a plate and let cool 30 minutes.

FRENCH ASIAGO BUBBLE BREAD

Steps:

• Dough: Place the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Program for dough or manual, and press Start. At the end of the cycle, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Cover it with a clean towel, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Filling: Combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Assembly and Baking: Lightly oil a 9 inch cake or 10 inch deep dish pie pan. Note: a dark-colored pan will produce bread with a crispier bottom than a light-colored, reflective pan. Divide the dough into 14 pieces and shape each into a ball. Dip each ball in the filling mixture, and lay them into the pan. Pour any remaining filling evenly over the dough.
• Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap, and let the dough rise for 30 minutes. Bake the bread in a preheated 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.