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

Leave a note in the comments to share your favorites!

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Cuban style bread might be the ultimate introductory recipe to bread baking at home. For the purists, this recipe is “Cuban style” because it does not contain lard, which is an essential component. But it is fast, simple, delicious and almost foolproof! Give it a try….this recipe is so rewarding that before you know it you will be tempted to explore other types.

People always seem impressed when you say that you bake your own bread….if they only knew how easy it can be! The bread that we are making today is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle; it lacks the complexity and chewy texture of artisan bread, but it makes up for that in speed and versatility. And did I mention it’s delicious?!

This bread is great on its own, but it really shines in a sandwich. Slice a loaf horizontally, fill with your favorite ingredients and cook on a griddle or in a panini press. Maybe even make a Cuban sandwich!

Stay tuned for the next post where I will give you some ideas for other ways to use this dough.

A note on ingredients:

Flour: All purpose and bread flour both work well for this recipe.

Yeast: Either (Regular) Active Dry or Rapid-Rise will work. Buy them in the supermarket in individual packets, or in bulk (store in the freezer).

Technique Notes:

A stand mixer with a dough hook makes this recipe simple to create, but it can also be made by hand or with a food processor. When using a stand mixer, do not turn the power beyond low (#2 on the Kitchen-Aid) or you will risk damaging the motor.  

The most important thing is that you only add enough flour to make the dough workable. Too much flour results in heavy, dry bread.

Pictorial:

In the first step, the dough has a batter-like consistency. This allows the yeast and sugar to be fully incorporated.

Next, the salt is added. This step protects the yeast organisms from being killed by direct contact with the salt.

As you mix and add more flour, the gluten starts to develop. You can see structure developing in the dough. The gluten appears almost stringy.

The dough is still quite sticky, but is starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Time to switch to the dough hook.

The dough now clears the sides, with only a little stickiness on the bottom of the bowl.

At this point it is ready to transfer to a greased bowl for proofing.

Lots of yeast and warm water means that this bread proofs quickly, in about 15 minutes. 

It will double in size, and if you poke it with your finger, the indentation remains.

Divide the dough in two and pat each portion into a rectangle. Shape the bread by folding the bottom toward the middle, pressing the edge to seal. Then repeat with the top edge, folding into the middle and sealing.

After the bread is smooth it is transferred to a baking sheet. Use a sharp knife make a cut down the center.

The finished loaf is golden brown, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.

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Cuban Style Bread

A quick and easy introductory bread recipe

Keyword bread, easy

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Ingredients

• 5-6 C flour all purpose or bread
• 2 C warm water
• 4 1/2 tsp yeast or two packages
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T salt

Instructions

• Put 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar and water in bowl of stand mixer. Use flat beater to mix for about three minutes (or beat by hand with a wooden spoon).
• Add salt and mix to combine. Now start adding flour, 1/4 cup at a time and mix well. When the dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl switch to the dough hook. If you are making this by hand, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and continue incorporating flour until the dough no longer sticks.
• Knead by hand or machine for about five more minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic and feel satiny to the touch.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl and flip it over so the top is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let it stand for 15 minutes. The dough should double in size.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in two (or more, if you want to make rolls) pieces. For baguette-type loaves, press into a rectangle. Fold the lower third over the middle and press the edge to seal. Then pull the upper edge over and press with the side of your hand, making a tight seam. Lightly roll the loaf with your hands to the desired length. Transfer to a backing sheet lined with parchment paper (No parchment? you could also grease it or cover with a sprinkle of corn meal)
• Place a pan of water on the lowest rack of your oven and set the baking sheet with the bread on the middle rack. Now turn the oven on to 400° and close the door. Bake for about 30 minutes. The loaf should be light golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on the bottom.

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