Preparation / Directions:
The dough will make 18" round or a 12"-x-16" rectangle.
By Hand or Mixer 6 minutes: Combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water Or by hand, stir the heavy batter 100 strokes with a wooden spoon, or for 2 minutes with the mixer flat beater. Remove the beater and attach the dough hook. Add flour to make a rough, shaggy dough that will clean the bowl. Add sprinkles of flour if the dough continues to be sticky. The dough under the hook should form a soft ball around the revolving arm.
Kneading 10 minutes: If by hand, turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion, bearing down heavily on the dough, until the dough is soft and elastic. Add flour if the dough is wet. If under the dough hook the dough clings to the sides of the bowl, add flour until it cleans the sides. Knead for 10 minutes. Or make in your bread machine on the dough cycle or make in a food processor.
By Processor 5 minutes: Attach the steel blade. Measure 2 cups flour into the work bowl and add the yeast and salt. Pulse to blend. With the processor on, pour the water through the feed tube to make a heavy batter. Add small portions of flour through the feed tube to make a dough that will ride with the blade and clean the sides of the bowl. When turned from the bowl the dough will be slightly sticky, so dust lightly with flour.
Kneading 1 minute: Knead with the processor for 1 minute.
First Rising 45 minutes: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to double in bulk, about 45 minutes. (If prepared with a new fast-rising yeast and at the recommended higher temperatures, reduce the rising times by about half.) In a bowl mix the ham and 2 cheeses and stir in the eggs, olive oil, salt and pepper. The mixture will be moist and quite thick. Set aside.
Shaping 18 minutes: Punch down the dough; work small portions of the ham and cheese mixture into the dough. This can be done also with the dough hook and processor. The dough will become quite sticky, due to the oil, so add several tablespoons of flour. Knead until the flour is fully absorbed and the dough is again soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Put the ball of dough aside to relax for 5 minutes. Although it can be done with a rolling pin, I prefer to use my hands to press the dough into a round or rectangle that is about 1/2" or less thick. The hands give the loaf a country look. Shape the dough to fit the pan.
Second Rising 45 minutes: Cover the pan(s) with wax or parchment paper and set aside until light and puffy, about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425~ about 15 minutes before baking. Uncover and prick the surface of the dough with a fork to give a uniform pattern over the loaf. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the loaf is a light golden brown, flecked with bits of cheese and ham. (If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50~.)
Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 3 or 4 minutes before removing to a metal rack to cool thoroughly before serving.
Two delicious Italian foods--prosciutto and Pecorino cheese--give this golden and flecked loaf a fragrance and taste that it is as happily eaten in the city as it is in the country.
Pecornio cheese is Italian sheep's-milk cheese that can be found in most cheese specialty stores. If it is not available, a sharp Cheddar is a good substitute. Prociutto ham is at times difficult to find and always expensive. I have used Smithfield and other quality hams with excellent results. Source: Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Brea
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