Casatiello

This bread was easy. I'm glad that it was fast. It only took 5 hours and that included starting the sponge.
Since my Kitchenaid was back in commission, thanks to a phone call to Marts Appliance in Escondido, CA. Love a business that cares for a customer. Here the sponge is in the bowl of the mixer.

I decided to add in Canadian Bacon, Sun Dried Tomatoes and grated smoked Gouda cheese. The grater attachment to the mixer came in handy for the cheese. I diced up the sun dried tomatoes because they were in Julian strips and smaller pieces were desired. My co-workers thought they were dried cranberry until they tasted them. I used 6 ounces of the bacon and fried it up in a skillet. I didn't weigh it afterwards to see how much weight it lost from the frying.

The ingredients in the mixer becoming a lovely dough. I think this is before the meat, cheese and tomatoes were added.

Its time to rest. Pulled out and greased out the large white mixing bowl. Flipped it to grease the bread. Covered it with plastic. I had 90 minutes to nap.

After reading some of the other blogs, they mentioned using a collar. I think mine was way too be here, but better too much than not enough. I have learned that from trying to buy pants that are long enough. I'm 5'9" and all the designers think that we should be only 5'6". I used a spring form pan that my brother, Mike gave me. The bottom was lined, the collar put on. Then the sides were greased with the extra butter, the sides were added to the collar.

The lovely dough that had it first rise was put into the pan and the collar. It looks so very cozy.

After the bread went through the second rise. I trimmed down the collar so that it still had several inches to climb while it baked, but now it could fit into the oven.

Before the dough went into the oven, I took out my trusty silicone basting brush and olive oil and brushed the top. Then I used some left over melted butter.

Doesn't this bread look lovely. See the meat and sun dried tomatoes. I liked how it browned up nicely.

The bread after it was taken out of the sprngform pan. This made it very easy to unpan.

My bratty little sister told me with the last bread that I needed to cut open the bread so that I could show off the inside of the bread. Tammy, this shot's for you. Doesn't that look lovely?

I want to make this bread again. I think this time, Swiss cheese, bacon, and green onions will be the add ins. Almost like a Quiche Loraine. My milk option will be buttermilk. I will try to add pictures of that bread to this post later, if I remember.