Peppery Cheese Bread

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or more)
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (6 t. parmesan and 2 t. pecorino or 8 t. parmesan)
• 1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 sprinkle yeast over water in small bowl; stir to soften.
• 2 let stand until disolved, about 5 minutes.
• 3 combine 2 cups all purpose flour, cake flour and salt in large bowl.
• 4 stir in yeast mixture and oil.
• 5 knead on floured surface until smooth and resilient, about 10 minutes, adding more flour if dough is sticky.
• 6 grease large bowl; add dough turning to coat entire surface.
• 7 let dough rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volumn, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 8 line baking sheet with parchment.
• 9 punch dough down and knead in cheese and pepper on lightly floured surface.
• 10 divide dough into 3 equal portions.
• 11 roll between hands and surface into 14-inch ropes.
• 12 working on prepared surface, braid ropes together beginning in center and working toward each end.
• 13 tuck ends under and pinch to seal.
• 14 cover with towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volumn, about 1 hour.
• 15 position rack in lower third of oven and line with baking tiles. (if unavailable, bake bread on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• 16 preheat oven to 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
• 17 brush loaf with cold water.
• 18 slide loaf and parchment onto baking tiles.
• 19 bake 10 minutes, then mist loaf with cold water using spray bottle.
• 20 bake10 minutes longer and mist again.
• 21 continue baking until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 25 minutes.
• 22 cool on rack.