Crawfish Bread
Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
3 to 3-1/2 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 cup warm water (120 to 130° F)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound crawfish tail meat, coarsely chopped
1 4-ounce jar pimientos, drained and chopped
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup grated monterey jack cheese (or jalapeno pepper jack cheese for a bigger kick)
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sesame seeds, optional
Directions
n a large mixer bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, thyme, oregano, basil, onion and garlic powders and peppers. Gradually add the warm water and oil to the dry ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally. Beat for 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Knead dough on a floured surface until it's smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil the top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Punch the dough down. Place on a floured surface and roll into a 10x14" rectangle. Scatter the crawfish lengthwise over the center third of the dough. Top with pimientos, green onions and shredded cheese. With a sharp knife, make cuts from the filling to the dough edges at one-inch intervals along the sides of the filling. Alternating sides, fold the strips at an angle across the filling for a braided effect. Place on a greased baking sheet; cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.
Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprikle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake in a preheated 400° F oven until done and golden brown, 30-35 minutes.
YIELD: One loaf of spicy crawfish bread!