Norman’s Salami And Provolone Bread

Norman’s Salami And Provolone Bread

This is quick and easy to make.

I like most things when they get cooked into bread. Russians like to bake breads with fillings. Often they fill the bread with fish and rice. I’ve always wanted to try it, but have never gotten around to it. It sounds good to me. 

Italians do a lot of this too. Often they will bake anchovies and/or olives into a flat bread brushed with olive oil. I’ve made that a few times and love it. I may add that recipe, but I’d be on thin ice with most of you for the anchovies. 

This bread with salami and cheese will probably get me into less trouble. It is kind of like a stuffed pizza without a sauce. If you’d like, you can smother it in marinara sauce. I like it with just a little olive oil drizzled over it.

1 batch of Norman’s basic white bread dough

Extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced

Freshly ground white pepper

Thinly sliced Genoa salami

Sliced provolone cheese

Corn meal

Preparation

Make a batch of my white bread dough. Let it rise for a half hour and knead it a few minutes. Divide it in half and form one half into a bread loaf so you can have bread with tomorrow’s breakfast.

Take the other half of the dough and roll it out in a large circle. Brush one half of the circle with olive oil, but don’t get any on the outer 1” edge. Spread a layer of provolone cheese covering the oiled half circle, but again don’t cover the outer edge.

Sprinkle the smashed garlic evenly over the cheese. Now generously sprinkle the cheese with the white pepper. Cover the cheese with the sliced salami, covering it all. Carefully fold the uncovered half of the circle over the covered half and crimp the overlapping edges with a fork.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with corn meal, evenly covering the surface. Slide the folded bread onto the baking sheet. Cut several slits in the top layer of dough over the salami, exposing it.  Brush the top of it generously with olive oil. Let the bread rise for about a half hour and then bake it in a 450º oven until golden brown. Allow it to cool on a rack for a few minutes before slicing it. Brush it again with olive oil.

Serving

This bread can be served as an appetizer with olives, cheese and wine. It can also be served with a meal. For example, it can accompany a spaghetti dinner along with sautéed spinach, minestrone soup, caesar salad and a good bottle of Chianti.