Say Cheese!

Welcoming the Holidays with Fresh Italian Bread


By Roy Creekmore
 Photography by Paul Skrentny


The inspiration for this recipe is a well-used Italian cookbook from the 1960s. The book is full of homemade bread recipes, all of which, while very good, leave a little something to be desired. After much experimentation—and some very average tasting breads—I created the resulting recipe, which has everything I could want in a loaf: beautiful texture, definitive yet subtle taste and wonderful eye appeal. Out of the hundreds of bread recipes that I have in my kitchen, Italian cheese bread has become the favorite.
The other advantage to this bread is its many uses. It’s the perfect complement to an elaborate dinner spread or holiday meal, and the subtle cheese flavor creates unique and wonderful sandwiches, both fresh and toasted. Cut the bread into croutons and toast it for an excellent addition to Caesar and other green salads. When it has lost its freshness, use a food processor to create incredible breadcrumbs that keep for months in the freezer.
    In addition to versatility, the thing I enjoy most about this bread is the aroma that fills the home while it’s baking. There is no better way to welcome friends and family during the holidays than the indescribable fragrance of old-fashioned Italian cheese bread baking. Make your family and friends feel truly welcome this holiday season by baking homemade bread that will enhance any meal you choose to serve.

Italian Cheese Bread


2 packages dry yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
1 cup milk, scalded
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces ricotta cheese
¼ cup sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 lemon, zest and juice only
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg and 1 tablespoon water, beaten together

    Pour the yeast into the warm water and stir to dissolve. Set the mixture aside to let the yeast proof.
In a medium saucepan, scald the milk by bringing it to a simmer before turning off the heat. Dissolve the butter in the warm milk; then add the pepper and all three cheeses to the milk mixture. Stir to dissolve. Next, add the sugar and the beaten eggs and thoroughly stir before adding the proofed yeast and the lemon juice and zest. Stir until everything is well blended. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer and lock it in place. If you are going to knead the mixture by hand, pour it into a large bowl.
    Regardless of whether you are using a mixer or kneading by hand, add the flour one cup at a time and mix well after each addition. After you incorporate all six cups of flour, turn the speed on the standing mixer to medium-low and knead the dough until smooth and shiny, about 8-10 minutes. If you wish to knead the dough by hand, you will probably have to empty the mixture onto a clean, smooth surface after about four cups and then add the additional two, one at a time, kneading after each addition. After you have incorporated all the flour, it will take you about 15 minutes of kneading by hand to develop the gluten and achieve the necessary smooth, shiny dough.
    Once the dough is ready, grease a large bowl with one tablespoon of the olive oil and place the finished dough in the bowl. Turn the dough, making sure the oil coats it entirely. Cover with a clean cloth, or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise. When the dough has doubled in size (about two hours) take it out of the bowl and deflate it by kneading three or four times.
    Use the rest of the olive oil to coat two standard loaf pans. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and place each in a separate pan. Cover loosely and set the pans in a warm place to rise a second time. When it has doubled in size (about 45 minutes), brush the dough with the beaten egg and water mixture and place it into a preheated 350-degree oven. Bake until the tops are golden brown and shiny (30-40 minutes).
    After removing the bread from the oven, let it cool for about 10 minutes before removing the pans and wait about one hour before storing. If kept in sealed plastic bags, these loaves will keep fresh up to five days.