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Pepperoni Cheese Bread Wreath

  • Author: Ann
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 3 hours (including rise time)
  • Yield: 8 - 12 servings 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup water
  • About 4 oz. sourdough starter (discard is fine) – optional
  • 1 egg
  • About 1 cup pepperoni, chopped fine, divided in half
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast – if not using sourdough starter, use 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
  • About 3 cups all purpose flour (or bread flour) – can sub whole wheat or fiber powder for some of the flour
  • Olive oil, for oiling the dough and brushing at the end
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese, for the top

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer (or bread machine on the dough setting), add all ingredients except the olive oil and mozzarella cheese. Start the bread machine on dough setting or continue for stand mixer instructions.
  2. If using a stand mixer, stir a bit until it starts to come together. Using the dough hook, knead for about 3 – 4 minutes, or until the dough cleans the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough is doubled in size.
  3. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper or a silicon liner. When the dough is done, pull off small bits of dough and shape them into balls. Set a small bowl in the center, then make a circle around it with the balls of dough. Make a second ring next to the first one so your ring is now almost the width of a wreath.
  4. Add pepperoni and shredded cheese on top of the the dough, then add more small balls of dough here and there until you’ve used all the dough. Tuck in more pepperoni bits amongst the bread balls, then sprinkle again with cheese.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another hour or so or until the bread has puffed up. Remove the plastic, then bake at 350 F. for about 25 minutes or until the wreath is golden brown on top.  Check halfway through – if any of the balls fall out of the wreath, put them back on using a little more cheese to help make them stick.
  6. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Transfer carefully to a serving plate/platter. Brush the bread lightly with olive oil. Serve warm with your favorite marinara or pizza sauce for dipping. If you like, garnish with sprig(s) of fresh basil or rosemary.

Notes

You can make the wreath ahead of time, then warm in the oven (tented lightly with foil). I wrapped mine in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer to keep it fresh for next weekend.

RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2023, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

Keywords: Sourdough, Pepperoni, Cheese, Bread

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Find it online: https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ring-in-the-holidays-with-a-pepperoni-cheese-bread-wreath/