Italian Appetizer Bread Recipes

ITALIAN APPETIZER BREAD

Steps:

• Stir together butter and garlic in bowl. Roll out bread dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Place on lightly greased baking sheet; brush with butter mixture.
• Layer salami, cheese, olives and onions in 3-inch strip down center of dough to within 1/2-inch of top and bottom, leaving 4 1/2 inches of dough on each side of filling.
• Cut twelve 3-inch long strips, 1-inch apart, along both sides of filling. Fold strips across filling at an angle, alternating sides to give a braided effect. Pinch dough at bottom and top to seal.
• Cover; let rise in warm place 30-45 minutes or until almost double in size. Combine egg and water in bowl; brush over braid. Sprinkle with poppy seed, if desired.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes. Cut into slices.

STUFFED ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix melted butter, parsley, olive oil, and garlic together in a bowl.
• Slice bread diagonally without cutting all the way through; do the same on the opposite diagonal to create cube-shaped sections still attached to the bottom crust.
• Spoon butter mixture carefully between sections; stuff in shredded Italian cheese blend. Wrap loaf in aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; unwrap and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.