Abruzzi Bread Recipes

ABRUZZI BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Spray with cooking spray a large cookie sheet or a jelly roll pan.
• Unroll the pizza crust onto the cookie sheet.
• Do not stretch it.
• Brush the crust with olive oil and then sprinkle with garlic powder. (Use however much of these 2 that you like. I used about 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 Tbsp garlic.)
• Lay half of the slices of cheese across one side of the crust, then layer half of the pepperoni on top of it, then half of the cooked sausage, then half of the spinach.
• Repeat the layers of cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and spinach.
• Fold the crust over and pinch all around to seal the edges.
• Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes of until crust is a light golden brown.
• Serve with marinara sauce, if desired.

CLASSIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Add sugar and yeast to warm water in large mixing bowl and let dissolve.
• Gradually add salt and flour to liquid and mix thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.
• Turn out onto floured surface to knead.
• Knead dough for about 3 minutes.
• Allow dough to rest about 5 minutes.
• While dough is resting, scrape mixing bowl and grease (either spray with Pam or swirl about 1 tablespoon oil up sides of bowl).
• After dough has rested, knead about 3 minutes more, until bouncy and smooth.
• Place dough in bowl and turn over once to grease top.
• Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down.
• Let dough rise again until doubled (optional).
• Punch down and knead briefly.
• Cut dough in half and shape into 2 loaves.
• To shape into loaves: pat each half into a rectangular shape, about 8 x 12 inches.
• Roll dough tightly from short end, pinching end to seal.
• Place pinched side on bottom and fold ends under loaf to make loaf shape.
• Place loaves on baking sheet generously sprinkled with corn meal and slash tops. Let dough rest, covered, an additional 10 minutes.
• For Quick Baking: Brush loaves with cold water. Place on rack in cold oven. Bake at 400 for 35-40, until crust is golden brown and hollow to the touch.
• For Traditional Baking: For a lighter, crustier bread, let the loaves rise another 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 for 15 minutes. Pour 2-3 cups boiling water into a roasting pan and carefully place the pan on the bottom of the oven. Place bread on rack above pan and bake 20 minutes. Turn off oven and allow bread to remain for 5 more minutes.