Of course we all want to hang on to every last minute of summer but Autumn is just around the corner and that means back to school and organized activities and tailgates, and……and that means many, many opportunities for a snack hero! Try  Pepperoni Hero Bread or one of the other variations and your family will think of you that way after just one taste. It is portable and delicious–perfect as a snack or with a cup of  tomato soup for lunch. This is one that won’t be traded away!

We are going to start with the dough from the Cuban style bread. It is quick to make, but it’s particularly great for stuffed breads because it is so easy to work with. Really, you are only limited by what’s in your pantry and your family’s tastes.

Recipe Notes

Resist the urge to overfill the bread, especially with greasy ingredients. Cheese helps to hold things together (and out of your lap when you are eating!), but if it leaks out during baking we are talking “disable the smoke detector and scrub the bottom of the oven” level mess.

On a related note, make sure that the seam is sealed well. Pinch it with your fingers and when you put the bread on the baking sheet, be sure that the seam is placed at the bottom.

I like to use a silicone baking mat for kneading and shaping.  It has inch markings along the sides, but more importantly it resists sticking and is so easy to clean. Just carry it to the sink.

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Pepperoni Hero Bread

Bread stuffed with pepperoni and cheese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 16

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Cuban style bread dough
• 4 oz pepperoni
• 8 oz shredded cheese

Instructions

• Divide dough into two pieces. Roll each into a 16×10″ rectangle.
• Arrange pepperoni over dough, leaving a 1/2″ border of dough all around. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
• Beginning with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough, stretching slightly as you go. Pinch the seam to seal and turn the ends under.
• Place the rolled dough on a parchment lined baking sheet with the seam side down. Optional: brush the top with beaten egg for a shiny glaze.
• Bake at 350° oven for about 30 min. until golden brown. The loaf should sound hollow if you rap on the bottom.
• Cool before slicing.

Pictorial 

Here is the dough just after the 15 minute proof. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it out to approximately 16″x10″.

Now it’s time to fill the bread. In this example, I have used about 2 ounces of pepperoni and 4 oz (about one cup) of shredded cheese. Be sure to leave about 1/2″ of dough uncovered around the edges.

Starting with the long side, roll the bread tightly, stretching slightly as you turn it.

Seal the seam tightly and turn the ends under. Transfer the roll to a parchment covered baking sheet. For a shiny glaze, beat an egg and brush on top before baking. 

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. The loaf should be golden brown and sound hollow if you rap on the bottom.

Hero Bread Variations

Spinach: Use raw spinach and cheese. A sprinkle of basil and/or oregano is nice here, too.

Pesto: Pesto and cheese.

Ham and Cheese: Thinly sliced deli ham and shredded cheddar plus some chopped pickles

Chicken Parmesan: cooked chicken breast, mozzarella and tomato sauce

Meatball: sliced or chopped meatballs, mozzarella and tomato sauce

Antipasto: assorted sliced Italian meats with cheese and diced roasted red peppers

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