As you’ve probably heard, the Academy Awards are right around the corner—Sunday, to be exact. I won’t be watching—it’s AC’s birthday so we’ll be out celebrating—but I wanted to share a great recipe that would be perfect for an Oscar party. Not only does it taste amazing, but it’s really hearty. So hearty, in fact, that my sister and I made it a couple of Saturdays ago for dinner. I also made it once for AC and Luke’s annual Talent Show and it disappeared in no time.
I usually double the butter and garlic, (Can you really ever have too much of either? I think not.), but it’s scrumptious as written. Keep in mind you have to plan a little bit in advance to make this since you need time for the frozen bread dough to thaw and rise. But it's worth the wait; trust me.
Italian Appetizer Bread
Preparation time: 20 min
Rising time: 30 min
Baking time: 25 min
Yield: 16 servings
1 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1 (1-pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 pound thinly sliced deli Genoa salami
6 slices (1-ounce each) provolone cheese, cut into strips
1/4 cup sliced stuffed green olives
2 green onions, sliced
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon water
Poppy seed, if desired
1. Stir together butter and garlic in small bowl. Roll out bread dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Place on lightly greased baking sheet; brush with butter mixture.
2. 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.
3. Cut eight 3-inch 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.
4. Combine egg and water in small bowl; brush over braid. Sprinkle with poppy seed, if desired. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost double in size (30 to 45 minutes).
5. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes. Cut into slices.