Bacon & Garlic Semolina Cheese Bread

Three cheese bread with garlic and bacon

Sharp cheese makes a brilliant bread; and a few bites of chopped bacon goes above and beyond. As I was mixing this dough, I recalled that I had frozen a batch of caramelized garlic and it would be a perfect addition to this semolina bread. It's wonderful plain and even more fantastic when toasted.

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups semolina

• 2 tsp salt

• 4 tsp instant yeast

• tt cracked pepper (1 tsp at least)

• tt sprinkling of cayenne pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 to 2 1/3 cups warm water

• 3 pcs of cooked bacon, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup chopped caramelized garlic or

1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions)

• 3 1/2 oz Parmesan chunks (a little over a cup)

• 2 cups Gouda or Provolone, roughly diced

• 2 cups Cheddar, roughly diced

Instructions

Read Susie's Tips and Tricks below

1. In a heavy-duty mixer, place flour, semolina, salt, yeast, black pepper, and cayenne. Mix together, then slowly add olive oil and warm water with mixer on "Stir" setting.

2. You want all the flour to become moist; add just enough water until no dry flour remains in the mixer (you may need a tad more than 2 cups). The blending of this dough is kind of fussy - blend the vast majority to a wet mass, then switch to the dough hook. On setting 2, let knead for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add the bacon, garlic, and cheeses. Sprinkle evenly, so you don't have dough that is cheese heavy in one area. Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap to rise. You want a very light and puffy product. It will take about 2 hours. Do the finger-poke test (poke in with finger about one inch; If indent remains, dough is ready).

3. Grease your baking sheet and shape as desired; I made two large balls. You can do loaves if you prefer, instead of rounds. Cover and let proof again; you want the dough to capture the maximum amount of gas to give you a nice rise. Do the finger-poke test again. With breads that have additions (such as cheese, etc.), I have noticed that they take a bit longer to complete that second rise; about an hour. Once you perceive the dough doesn't need much longer, preheat your oven so its ready to go: 425F.

4. Once your bread is fully proofed, take a sharp knife and score a few 1/2" slashes in the dough. This gives the bread crust a place for the steam's expansion to burst in a more beautiful pattern. It's not absolutely necessary, but it really makes it look good! Place on the middle rack in a PREHEATED 425F oven and bake approximately 30 to 40 minutes. You want the bread to be fully baked with an interior temp of 190 to 200F.

5. Remove from sheet and let cool. I would store breads like this in the fridge; that said, we finished both rounds in one day, so refrigeration wasn't necessary. LOL!

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Susie's Tips and Tricks

You use all-purpose flour in this recipe because semolina is very high in gluten.

If you want a crusty bread, spray with water prior to baking. I prefer it naked.

Chunky pieces of cheese are best; the shredded blended in and I didn't get those luscious pockets of cheese I think this bread should have.

You could use a variety of cheeses. I used a mix of Gouda, and dry blue cheese. Keep in mind that sharp-aged cheeses do best in baked goods; a mild cheddar doesn't cut it in this recipe.

Another take on this bread: sharp cheddar with chipotle, some garlic or onions, and perhaps some dried cranberries.

Be warned: if you add a lot of cheese to breads, your shaping may be off... now is that terrible? No, but you might have a few pockets of cheese, or garlic that oddly pop out and thus the shape isn't perfect. Its still wonderful and I've tried using more cheese...it was awesome!

You can also prepare this bread in a chamba pot or stoneware of your choice. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove lid and complete baking for about 10 more minutes.