Sicilian Sausage Bread Recipes

ITALIAN SAUSAGE BREAD

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil, set aside.
• Melt butter in a large skillet, add onions, salt, pepper and parsley. Cook onions until they are translucent, then add the garlic. Cook the onions until they are carmelized.
• Remove the onions to a bowl, leaving the extra butter in the pan.
• Put the sausage into pan and chop it into bite sized chunks. Cook the sausage until it is browned.
• Add the onions back to the pan with the sausage and cover with a lid. Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. DO NOT let it burn.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.
• Flour a surface and roll out one dough ball with a rolling pin until it is the size of a large pizza. Try not to let it get any thin spots or holes.
• When the sausage mixture is finished, use a slotted spoon to scoop half of it onto the dough and spread it evenly over the surface. You will save the other half for the second dough. Cover with a layer of half the shredded mozzarella.
• Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll, but tuck in the ends like a burrito before you get to the end of the roll.
• Lay it with the flap down on the cookie sheet and brush with the egg white.
• Bake in the oven until golden brown, approximately 25-30 minutes. After baking, let the bread rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Repeat process for second loaf.
• Slice and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

SCACCE RAGUSANE (SICILIAN STUFFED FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup warm water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure yeast is active.
• Add olive oil, semolina flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with your hand to form a relatively stiff ball of dough, adding more water if needed to bring the dough together.
• Transfer dough to a work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with the mixing bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and knead the dough for another 3 or 4 minutes; divide dough into 2 portions, and shape each into smooth balls. Use damp hands to help smooth the dough out, if needed.
• Generously dust half of a kitchen towel with semolina flour and place the 2 balls of dough on top. Sprinkle more flour on top of the balls and cover with the other half of the towel. Leave to rise until the dough has almost doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Roll each ball of dough out into a very thin circle or oval shape on a lightly floured surface.
• Combine pizza sauce and basil in a bowl. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and scatter pieces of provolone cheese every few inches, leaving a 1 inch border. Fold over the opposite edges toward the middle to form a rectangle. Press lightly to flatten slightly. Repeat sauce and cheese step.
• Fold each end toward the center to make a square shape. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and scatter pieces of cheese on just one half. Fold in half, overlapping the edge by about 1 inch. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat filling and folding the second piece of dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until very well browned, 16 to 18 minutes. Some spots may get charred, but this is fine and desirable, since scacce are traditionally cooked in very hot wood-fired ovens. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

SICILIAN SESAME SEED BREAD

Steps:

• In a large glass measuring cup, dissolve the sugar and yeast in 2 cups of the warm water. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
• Add 2 cups of flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and mix until a dough starts to form. Add 2 more cups of flour and let mix until a smooth ball of dough is formed. It too wet, add 1 -2 tablespoons more flour. Do not let the dough get to dry. It should be slightly sticky. Let knead for about 5-10 minutes in total.
• Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise until doubled about 2 hours. (I usually place in my oven with the light on).
• On a floured board, punch down the dough, divide it in half and shape two thick loaves or four baguettes.
• Transfer loaves a floured baker's couche or large cotton dish towel. Cover the loaves and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours until doubled again in size.
• Preheat the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Place a cast iron skillet on the bottom rack and let heat as well.
• When ready to bake, mix the egg and water to make a wash. Brush the egg wash over the loaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Place the loaves on baking sheet or a french loaf baking pans.
• Put the baking pan on the middle rack.
• Add 10 ice cubes to the cast iron pan. This will create the steam for a great crust. Add 4-6 more cubes halfway through for more steam.
• Cook for 35 minutes until the bread is a nice golden brown.
• Let the bread cool before slicing.

SICILIAN SAUSAGE BREAD

Steps:

• Coat pizza tin with oil.
• Roll out pizza dough on pizza tin.
• Remove casing from sausage, cut up into small pieces and brown lightly with 2 tablespoons of water in frying pan until cooked.
• Remove cooked sausage from frying pan, dry thoroughly with paper towel.
• Dice the Mozzarella.
• Mix 1 raw egg with dried sausage and spread on pizza dough evenly.
• Keep part of the egg yolk for later.
• Spread diced Mozzarella on pizza dough.
• Sprinkle grated Romano cheese on pizza dough.
• Roll up dough into itself and seal ends with brushed egg yolk.
• Bake in 350 degrees oven for about 45 minutes.
• - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --.