Ham And Cheese Bread

Ham And Cheese Bread

This morning I was looking at the flood pictures and was reminded of this recipe. Every time I make this recipe, I'll always remember how quickly things can change.

The night before the Great Lisle Flood of 2013, I was in an experimental mood. I made some of my bread dough and rolled it out like a pizza. I added cheese and ham on one half. Then I folded it over like a calzone and crimped the edges. I baked that and had a relaxing dinner alone with my two dogs. Little did I know how things would change overnight.

My backyard at 5:00 AM

I woke up at 5:00 the next morning and I went to take the dogs out. I found my backyard was under water. Hmm. Well I took them out to the front yard instead. By 10:00 AM, the fire department evacuated me in a small boat. It took two days before I could return home.

My front yard at 9:00 AM

Here is how I made my dinner on that fateful night.

2 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 tbs. olive oil

1 cup (approximate) water

2 tbs. instant yeast

1-1/2 cups ham sliced off the bone and chopped

3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Freshly ground white pepper

Extra olive oil for brushing

Preparation

Mix the flour, sugar, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast and most of the water. Bring the dough together, adding just enough water to get it right. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes and let it rise for  about twenty minutes.

Roll the dough out on a floured counter and work with your hands to shape it into a 16” circle. Cover one half of the dough with the cheese but leave the outer edge of the bread uncovered. Sprinkle the chopped ham over the cheese and then sprinkle on the white pepper.

Fold the dough over the filled half and roll up the edges. Place it on a baking sheet that has been heavily sprinkled with corn meal. Brush the top of the bread with lots of olive oil. Cut slits in the top of the bread. Preheat the oven to 480º and bake until the bread is golden brown. Brush it again with olive oil when it comes out. Let it cool about ten minutes before slicing.

Serving

Serve several slices of this ham and cheese bread with a crisp salad. I was low on side dishes so I just had mine with half of a melon. Open a bottle of a crisp white wine. I like Vinho Verde. For dessert, I had seconds.