Prosciutto Bread with Provolone
By Katie LeairdPublished on January 27, 2022
Time
1½ hours, plus 2¼ hours rising and 3 hours cooling
Yield
Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients
3 cups (16 ½ ounces/468 grams) bread flour 1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup mild lager, room temperature6 tablespoons water, room temperature3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 ounces (142 grams) (¼-inch-thick) provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced pepperoni, cut into ½-inch pieces3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced capicola, cut into ½-inch pieces1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground pepper Cornmeal
Before You Begin
We love the combination of prosciutto, pepperoni, and capicola in this Prosciutto Bread with Provolone, but you can use 9 ounces of any combination of your favorite cured meats; just be sure to have each sliced ¼ inch thick at the deli counter. Do not use thinly sliced deli meats and cheese, as they will adversely affect the bread's texture. Use a mild lager, such as Budweiser; strongly flavored beers will make this bread taste bitter.
Instructions
- Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk beer, room-temperature water, and oil together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
- Fit mixer with dough hook. Mix flour mixture on low speed while slowly adding beer mixture until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low and add provolone, prosciutto, pepperoni, capicola, and pepper. Continue to knead until combined, about 2 minutes longer (some meats and cheese may not be fully incorporated into dough at this point; this is OK). Transfer dough and any errant pieces of meats and cheese to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to evenly incorporate meats and cheese into dough, about 1 minute.
- Form dough into smooth, round ball and place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with cornmeal. Turn out dough onto counter and gently press down to deflate any large air pockets. Cut dough into 2 even pieces. Press each piece of dough into 8 by 5-inch rectangle with long side parallel to counter's edge.
- Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, fold top edge of rectangle down to midline, pressing to seal. Fold bottom edge of rectangle up to midline and pinch to seal. Flip dough seam side down and gently roll into 12-inch loaf with tapered ends. Transfer loaf to 1 side of prepared sheet. Repeat shaping with second piece of dough and place loaf about 3 inches from first loaf on sheet. Cover with greased plastic and let rise at room temperature until puffy and dough springs back slowly when pressed lightly with your finger, about 45 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using sharp paring knife in swift, fluid motion, make ½-inch-deep lengthwise slash along top of each loaf, starting and stopping about 1½ inches from ends. Bake until loaves register 205 to 210 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire rack and let cool completely, about 3 hours. Serve.
- Make dough through step 3, form into ball, and place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 16 hours or up to 24 hours. Let dough come to room temperature, about 3 hours, before proceeding with step five.
to make ahead
Time
1½ hours, plus 2¼ hours rising and 3 hours coolingYield
Makes 2 loavesIngredients
3 cups (16 ½ ounces/468 grams) bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mild lager, room temperature
6 tablespoons water, room temperature
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces (142 grams) (¼-inch-thick) provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced pepperoni, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced capicola, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
Cornmeal
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
3 cups (16 ½ ounces/468 grams) bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mild lager, room temperature
6 tablespoons water, room temperature
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces (142 grams) (¼-inch-thick) provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced pepperoni, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced capicola, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
Cornmeal
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
3 cups (16 ½ ounces/468 grams) bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mild lager, room temperature
6 tablespoons water, room temperature
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces (142 grams) (¼-inch-thick) provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced pepperoni, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ounces (85 grams) (¼-inch-thick) sliced capicola, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
Cornmeal
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To make this Prosciutto bread extra-meaty, it all came down to the cut of prosciutto. Thinly sliced deli meat got wadded up and swallowed by the dough, but thicker slabs cut into ½-inch pieces proved to be just right. Using a combination of three meats—prosciutto, capicola, and pepperoni—along with some provolone cheese gave each bite a satisfying, savory mix of flavors. We added beer to boost the yeasty, fermented flavor of the bread without having to let it rise all day and opted for bread flour, with its high protein content, to form a strong gluten structure.
Before You Begin
We love the combination of prosciutto, pepperoni, and capicola in this Prosciutto Bread with Provolone, but you can use 9 ounces of any combination of your favorite cured meats; just be sure to have each sliced ¼ inch thick at the deli counter. Do not use thinly sliced deli meats and cheese, as they will adversely affect the bread's texture. Use a mild lager, such as Budweiser; strongly flavored beers will make this bread taste bitter.
Instructions
- Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk beer, room-temperature water, and oil together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
- Fit mixer with dough hook. Mix flour mixture on low speed while slowly adding beer mixture until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low and add provolone, prosciutto, pepperoni, capicola, and pepper. Continue to knead until combined, about 2 minutes longer (some meats and cheese may not be fully incorporated into dough at this point; this is OK). Transfer dough and any errant pieces of meats and cheese to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to evenly incorporate meats and cheese into dough, about 1 minute.
- Form dough into smooth, round ball and place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with cornmeal. Turn out dough onto counter and gently press down to deflate any large air pockets. Cut dough into 2 even pieces. Press each piece of dough into 8 by 5-inch rectangle with long side parallel to counter's edge.
- Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, fold top edge of rectangle down to midline, pressing to seal. Fold bottom edge of rectangle up to midline and pinch to seal. Flip dough seam side down and gently roll into 12-inch loaf with tapered ends. Transfer loaf to 1 side of prepared sheet. Repeat shaping with second piece of dough and place loaf about 3 inches from first loaf on sheet. Cover with greased plastic and let rise at room temperature until puffy and dough springs back slowly when pressed lightly with your finger, about 45 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using sharp paring knife in swift, fluid motion, make ½-inch-deep lengthwise slash along top of each loaf, starting and stopping about 1½ inches from ends. Bake until loaves register 205 to 210 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire rack and let cool completely, about 3 hours. Serve.
- Make dough through step 3, form into ball, and place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 16 hours or up to 24 hours. Let dough come to room temperature, about 3 hours, before proceeding with step five.
to make ahead
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