Maryetta's Italian Sausage Bread
- 1 pound italian sausage sweet
- 1 1/4 cups water lukewarm
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 package yeast, active dry active
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 4 cups flour, all-purpose sifted
- 5 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 x cornmeal
- If you think your sausage has too much fat, simmer in shallow water in a frying pan, pricking the sausage with a sharp knife to allow the fat to escape.
- Combine the lukewarm water, salt, yeast, saffron, and fennel seeds in a metal cup and maintain a lukewarm temperature to keep the yeast active.
- Sift the flour into a large bowl, and make a well in the center of it.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and mix well (you will have to use your hands).
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), then pour the oil over the dough and knead until no longer sticky (about 5 minutes).
- Place in a large bowl, cover with a towel, and put in a warm place until it doubles in size.
- (Press the dough with your fingertips; if they leave a stubborn imprint, it has risen enough.)
- When the rising time is almost over, presoak a clay pot, top and bottom, for 15 minutes.
- Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
- Place the sausages (about 5) on top of the dough, wrap each in its own pocket, and pinch the ends closed.
- Place each pocket side by side to form one loaf.
- Trim a piece of aluminum foil, cover the bottom of the bottom of the presoaked pot and sprinkle with cornmeal.
- Add the dough to the pot and put lid on, then put the covered pot in a warm place and let the dough rise until doubled in size (about 60 minutes).
- Cover the pot and place it in a cold oven.
- Set the oven temperature at 450F (230C).
- Bake for 45 minutes, then check the bread and let it continue baking, uncovered, in the oven to brown for an additional 15 minutes (total cooking time about 60 minutes).
- The bread will be done when a finger thump on the loaf's surface sounds hollow.
- Allow the bread to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
- NOTE: This recipe can be safely doubled, but use 2 pots for cooking.
italian sausage sweet, water, salt, yeast, saffron threads, fennel seeds, flour, olive oil, cornmeal
Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/maryettas-italian-sausage-bread-42104 (may not work)