How to Make Asiago Cheese Bread

This recipe for easy Asiago Cheese Bread was coaxed out of my aunt. She is both a cook and baker but a bit stingy with her secrets. As one who prefers making pasta to pastry, I found this bread machine mixed recipe rather easy.

While the bread machine is used to mix the dough, your Asiago cheese loaf is formed on a cookie sheet, using an easy and attractive technique.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bread maker (preferred)
• Cookie sheet (aluminum, not non-stick)
• Pre heated oven (375 degrees)
• Wooden spoon
• 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups of water (tepid)
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp. sugar (heaping)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 1/4 tsp. active yeast (1 package equivalent)
• 1/2 to 1 cup shredded Asiago Cheese (block or pre-shredded)
• Extra olive oil to lightly coat hands and cookie sheet
• Optional
• 1/2 tsp. basil (dried)
• 1 to 3 slices of red onion (quartered)

How to Make Asiago Cheese Bread

1. Prepare bread maker and set it to the pasta/dough setting. Follow manufacture recommendations for techniques on adding ingredients and yeast.

2. Blend bread flour, salt and sugar with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Obtain tepid water. Let sit at room temperature if necessary.

3. Add water and oil to the bread machine, then dry mixture. Make a well in the flour mound and carefully add the yeast. Start the bread machine. Monitor the bread dough occasionally.

4. Lightly, but thoroughly, cover a cookie sheet with oil and set aside. When dough is ready, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place dough ball in the center of the cookie sheet. Cover hands lightly with olive oil for Asiago bread dough handling.

5. Spread dough with hands (heels) and stretch. Cover about 1/2 to 3/4 of a rectangular cookie sheet, or whereas dough is about 1 inch thick. Shape as desired.

6. Dimple throughout with finger tips (or bottom of wooden spoon) breaking though the dough to the cookie sheet at roughly 1 to 1 ½ inch intervals. (Dimples will pop back up partially, leaving no gaping holes).
   
   Cover dough with Asiago cheese, more is better. Optionally, add red onion slices and a light sprinkling of basil (recommended) or Italian seasoning.

7. Let the Asiago bread dough rise for 20 to 30 minutes on top of the warm oven. Expect the dough to rise an additional 1/2 to 1 inch in height.

8. Bake Asiago cheese bread for 20 to 30 minutes, aim for a light golden crust.

Tips & Warnings

• Fresh yeast is essential.
• Heavy or air bake cookie sheet is preferable.
• Other cheeses may be used (Romano and Parmesan), though these may brown much faster.
• Asiago cheese quality affects the flavor, but prepackaged versions are suitable.
• During the mixing process, if the dough ball is too moist (sticking to bread machine edge) gradually add additional flour (1 tbsp. at a time).
• Precise measurements for dough ingredients is essential. Flour can be tapped down when measuring.
• Do not overwork the bread when stretching/shaping.
• Keep Asiago cheese off of cookie sheet for best results.

[jpwhickson]

on 2/14/2008 Yummers!

[imagery]

on 2/13/2008 This sounds great and not that hard, good article.

[ChantelAlise]

on 2/10/2008 This sounds delicious.

[PattyOh]

on 12/17/2007 This sounds really yummy.