Swiss Onion Bread Recipes

SWISS ONION BREAD

Steps:

• To begin, combine 1 cup of the warm water, the sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Stir together and let sit for 10 minutes until the the yeast is bubbly.
• Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, dry mustard and sea salt. Stir those together until thoroughly mixed.
• Make a deep well in the center with your hand or the back of a spoon. Pour the bubbly yeast mixture into the well.
• With your fingers, gently swirl the mixture around, pulling in enough of the surrounding flour to make the liquid the consistency of pancake batter.
• Grab some of the flour from the outside and sprinkle it over the top of the liquid mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for 20 minutes.
• Pour in the second cup of warm water. Then with your hands begin pulling the flour into the center, stirring until it comes together into a messy dough. Scoop the dough out of the center and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use the extra flour mixture that it still in your bowl. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, adding additional flour mixture as needed. The dough will start out as a shaggy mess - and after you have kneaded it, you will have a soft, smooth dough. Discard any remaining flour in the bowl. Wash, dry and oil the bowl. Place your dough ball in the bowl and turn it over to lightly coat the dough with a thin layer of oil. Cover it with the damp towel again and let it rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
• When the dough is nearly finished rising, grab the onion. Peel off the skin and cut 5 or 6 thing slices from one of the ends. Set the slices aside for now and dice the remaining onion.
• In a skillet, sauté the diced onion in the extra virgin olive oil, over medium low heat until the onion is tender and golden - about 5 minutes. When the onion is done sautéing, spoon it out onto a plate and spread it out so that it can cool.
• While the onion is sautéing, get your Swiss cheese ready. Cut your block into two portions - about 2/3 and 1/3 of the block respectively. This does not have to be exact, just "eyeball it."
• Take the larger portion and shred it. Cut the smaller portion into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat it out into a large rectangle - about 12-18 inches.
• Reserving 1/2 cup of the shredded Swiss, spread the remaining shredded and cubed cheese all over the dough. Sprinkle the sautéed onion all over the dough as well.
• Begin rolling the dough up snugly from one end. When it is completely rolled up, pinch the edges together. Place the roll seam-side-down on a baking sheet or stone.
• Place the roll seam-side-down on a baking sheet or stone. Tuck the ends underneath. Cover this with the damp towel again and let it rise for an hour.
• Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush the top of the loaf with milk.
• Pile the reserved cheese down the center of the loaf. Bake this for 20 minutes.
• While it is baking, bring the onion slices to a boil in a small skillet with 1/2 inch of water. Let it bubble for a minute then removed it from the heat and drain out the water.
• After the bread has baked the 20 minutes, pull it out and carefully arrange the onion slices over the top of the bread. Put it back in the oven and bake for 20-25 more minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped and is golden brown on top. Slide the loaf over to a rack and cool.
• Enjoy this wonderful bread with a bowl of soup...or as a scrumptious snack.

SWISS SUNDAY BREAD

Steps:

• Place flour into a bowl, creating a small hole in the center. Sprinkle salt around the edge and place yeast and sugar into the hole.
• Mix egg and egg white together in a 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to reach the 1 1/4 cup mark. Stir in milk. Add melted butter. Pour into the center of the flour. Mix thoroughly, adding more milk or flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Cut dough in 1/2. Form each 1/2 into a long roll. Lay rolls out in front of you on a work surface in an 'X' shape. Braid bread by constantly switching the ends. Place bread onto a baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush bread with beaten egg using a pastry brush.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until golden, about 30 minutes.

SAVORY ONION BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease one 8 inch round or one 8x8 inch square pan.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt, cut in 2 tablespoons of the butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
• Fry the onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter or margarine until clear and golden. Set aside.
• In a small bowl beat the egg and stir in the milk and the cooked onion. Pour egg mixture into the well in the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened. You will have a soft dough. Pat dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over top.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Serve hot. Makes about 6 servings.

SWISS CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• Cut bread in half crosswise. Make diagonal cuts, 1 in. apart, through bread but not through bottom. Combine all remaining ingredients. Spread half the butter mixture between bread slices. Spread remaining mixture over top and sides of bread., Place bread on double thickness of foil; cover loosely with more foil. Bake at 425° for 20-30 minutes. For last 5 minutes, remove foil covering bread to allow it to brown.

SWISS ONION SPIRAL BREAD

Steps:

• Either grease a cookie sheet, or place ungreased silpat sheet on cookie sheet.
• In a small skillet cook onion in butter or margarine until tender.
• On floured surface roll out bread dough to a 17x7-inch rectangle, spread cooked onion over dough.
• Sprinkle shredded cheese and bacon on top.
• Roll up jelly-roll fashion from the long side, pinching edges to seal.
• Place roll, seam side down, on cookie sheet. Score top of loaf crosswise, making cuts 1/4-inch deep.
• Cover; let rise in a warm place 30-45 minutes or until almost double.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Brush top of bread with egg; sprinkle with poppy seed or dill seed.
• Bake 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.
• Note: to reheat, wrap in foil and heat in 400-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 15-20 minutes.).

SWISS-ONION BREAD RING

Steps:

• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds in a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Cut the dough into forty 1-in. pieces; place half in prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and onions. Top with 1 teaspoon poppy seeds; drizzle with half of the butter. Repeat layers. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately invert onto a wire rack. Serve warm.

SWISS-ONION BREAD RING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp poppy seeds on the bottom of a greased 10 inch fluted tube pan.
• Cut the bread dough into 1 inch pieces, you should have about twenty pieces.
• Place half of bread pieces evenly into the prepared tube pan.
• Sprinkle with half of the cheese and onions, and top with 1 tsp poppy seeds. Drizzle with half of the melted butter.
• Repeat layers.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Immediately invert onto a wire rack.
• Serve warm.