The fifth Bread Baker's Apprentice challenge (from the book by the same name authored by Peter Reinhart) was Casatiello, and is found on pages 129-132. This was our favorite bread so far as it has so much flavor with the sausage and cheese additions. It is an Italian bread that the author describes as an "elaboration of brioche." The recipe was quite easy, went together quickly, and was absolutely wonderful still warm about three quarters of an hour out of the oven, as well as for a few days thereafter. We would have been slicing into it straight out of the oven as the aroma was so delightful, but it said to wait at least an hour before cutting into it. We waited three-quarters of an hour and then just started slicing away. It was great without an addition of anything on it. Mark enjoyed taking it as sandwich bread for lunch, so my next venture with this recipe is to make sandwich buns from it. This is a recipe I will make time and again. While the main group of 200 bakers are baking weekly, the Slow & Steady group consisting of
Nancy, Cathy, Audrey, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah, Di, and I are baking and posting every other week to better fit into our schedules. If you would like to see their Casatiello, click on their names and visit their sites in the next few days, or you can visit the main group and marvel how they are all already onto Cornbread. We'll get there...Slow and Steady.