Herbed Cheese Bread

Herbed Cheese Bread

Serves 2-4.

This tasted much more like focaccia that anything else. A drier bread that's best slathered with soft butter.

Source: Small Batch Baking Cookbook

1-1/4 t. active dry yeast

1-1/2 t. olive oil, plus extra for greasing the bowl and the baking sheet

3/4 c. plus 2 T. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed, and for dusting the work surface

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t. finely crumbled dried rosemary

1/2 t. minced fresh thyme

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. grated provolone cheese

Pour 1/4 c. plus 2 T. warm water into a medium-size mixing bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Stir to blend. Let the yeast mixture stand until it just begins to bubble, 5 minutes. Then add the oil, flour, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cheeses. Stir until the dough is well combined.

Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough on it. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, 5-7 minutes; add up to 3 or 4 more tablespoons of flour, as needed, to prevent the dough from sticking.

Lightly grease a medium-size mixing bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in it, and turn the dough to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it is doubled in bulk, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch the dough down on a lightly floured surface, and shape it to form a loaf about 4 inches long. Lightly oil a baking sheet and place the loaf on it. Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until it is almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

While the dough is rising, place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bake the loaf until it is golden, about 25 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, transfer the loaf to a wire rack, and let it cool. Serve the cheese bread warm or at room temperature. (This bread is best when eaten within 2 days. Store loosely wrapped at room temperature.)