It's Bread Week here at Seasoned Cooking! We begin our journey with a cheesy bread that has a blend of garlic, Italian herbs, and crushed red pepper sprinkled throughout its soft interior and even more cheese sprinkled onto its crisp, golden crust. It's perfect alongside any soup or stew or made into a grilled cheese sandwich that will have you falling in love. Let's dig in!
You can use any Italian or heavily herby seasoning for this bread. I like Trader Joe's Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend because it brings some crushed red pepper and garlic into the mix and both are stunning in this bread. Don't worry - neither will overpower anything, but you would notice if they were missing. You can always add some of both to a standard seasoning mix too. If you don't use the vital wheat gluten, your bread might not get as much of a rise. However, if you choose a bright, sunny day to make your bread, that will also help the process along. Trust me. And again, pick cheese that gives you joy - or you just happen to have on hand. Just avoid very wet cheeses (e.g. goat cheese, feta, blue cheese, etc.) as they will make the bread rising even more challenging.
I love this bread alongside pasta dishes with a lot of sauce, stews, soups, and anything that needs a bit of sopping up at the end of the meal. It also makes an excellent foundation for a sandwich and I am particularly charmed when using it for a grilled cheese sandwich. If you have the option, add a little crushed roasted tomato or finely chopped sun dried tomato to one for a special treat. However you choose to use this delicious bread, pat yourself on the back for using a bread machine to save you time and effort in bringing something magical to your table. Enjoy!
Mediterranean Cheese Bread
- 1 ⅓ cup warm water
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning (I used Trader Joe's Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend
- 4 cups all purpose or bread flour (I used all purpose)
- 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, optional (Helps ensure a good rise)
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top (I used sharp cheddar, but asiago, parmesan, mozzarella, or your favorite cheese/combination will work)
- 1 egg whisked briskly with 1 tablespoon water
Add the first 8 ingredients (warm water through 1 ½ cups shredded cheese) in the order listed to the bread maker pan, keeping about ¼ cup of shredded cheese for the top of the loaves.
Select the dough setting and begin the cycle. The cycle should be about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Once the dough cycle is complete, remove from the dough from the bread pan. Punch down a few times, split the dough into two equal parts, and form into your desired shape - I love making rounds. Set the loaves on a silicone baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheet - making sure you leave about 6 inches between the loaves - and cover them with a tea towel. I like to lightly spray the towel with water if the air is particularly dry - it should be very lightly damp … not wet! Let the loaves rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Gently brush the top and sides with the egg wash (whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water briskly together) and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
- Yields: 2 loaves
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes hands on time - Total is about 3 hours