Ingredients
Units
For the dough:
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- ¼ cup sugar + ½ tsp
- 4 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole or 2% milk (or almond milk)
- ¾ cup (1 ½ stick) unsalted butter (or margarine), melted
- 2 large eggs
For the garlic-herb butter:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ Tbsp Italian herb blend (or mix together dried parsley, oregano and basil)
For the cheese:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (not fresh mozzarella)
- 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- To make the dough: Place the yeast and ½ tsp sugar in a small bowl. Add the lukewarm water and stir gently to mix. Set aside until foamy, 5-10 minutes. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the flour and 1/4 cup sugar.
- In a medium saucepan, scald the milk (bring almost to a boil, until milk is just simmering). Allow to sit for 1 minute to cool just slightly (or just add cold milk — see notes).
- With mixer on low, add the water-yeast mixture, milk and melted butter. Add eggs one at a time.
- When the dough begins to come together, after 2-3 minutes, turn off mixer and scrape down the sides. Raise the speed to high and mix for another 5-10 minutes until the dough is shiny, elastic, and smooth. It may seem like a long time to mix, but the result is worth the wait. (You can also knead vigorously by hand for 10 minutes if you don’t have a stand mixer.)
- Place dough in a greased bowl with a damp towel on top. Allow to rise 1-2 hours.
- Prepare two 8 ½ x 4 ½ greased loaf pans.
- Cut the dough into two equal parts (use a food scale for precision). Set aside one half of the dough.
- Roll out the one piece of dough into a large rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or dough cutter, cut the dough down the middle lengthwise, then cut into approximately 3-inch squares.
- Roll each square until slightly elongated with a rolling pin.
- Brush each piece of dough with the garlic butter, then top with cheese. Fold into smaller squares/rectangles.
- Once all the pieces of dough are filled with butter and cheese, place in a greased loaf pan so they are standing up. You can alternate with seam on top and seam on the bottom.
- Repeat with the other piece of dough.
- Lightly drape a kitchen towel over the top of pans. Allow to rise another 15-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F while the dough rises.
- Top with any additional cheese.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden on top.
- Brush with remaining melted butter as soon as you remove from the oven. Serve warm with tomato sauce for dipping if desired.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegetarian