Three-Tiered Braided Christmas Bread

Recipe Ingredients

		Sun Dried Tomato Paste
1 cup	237ml	Water
1/4 cup	15g / 0.5oz	Whole sun-dried tomatoes
3 tablespoons	45ml	Olive oil
2 teaspoons	10ml	Chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
		Pesto
1 cup	40g / 1.4oz	Fresh basil leaves - (lightly packed)
2 tablespoons	30ml	Pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Salt
3 tablespoons	45ml	Olive oil
2 tablespoons	30ml	Freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
		Tapenade
20		Kalamata olives - (abt 3/4 cup) - pitted
1		Anchovy fillet
2 teaspoons	10ml	Chopped garlic
2 tablespoons	30ml	Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
		Dough
		(YOU NEED THREE BATCHES OF THIS DOUGH)
1		Dry yeast - (1/4 oz)
1 tablespoon	15ml	Sugar
1 cup	237ml	Warm water - (about 110 degrees)
1 teaspoon	5ml	Salt
3 1/2 cups	218g / 7.7oz	Bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon	5ml	Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon	5ml	Egg - beaten (large)
3 teaspoons	15ml	Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Coarsely-ground black pepper

Recipe Instructions

TO MAKE THE PASTE: Combine the water and tomatoes in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to a food processor or blender, add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and process. Puree until the mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE PESTO: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until the mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE TAPENADE: Combine all its ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until the mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomato paste (or pesto or tapenade), salt, and flour. Beat at low speed until all of the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Then beat at medium speed until the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl, and climbs up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

TO ASSEMBLE: Remove the dough from the bowl and invert it onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Roll up the dough, beginning with the short side and stopping after each full turn to press the edge of the roll firmly into the flat sheet of dough to seal. Press with your fingertips. Tuck and roll so that any seams disappear into the dough. Join the ends of each bread loaf and pinch all three together. Begin braiding, lapping each loaf one at a time over the other, then pinch the remaining ends together. Tuck the pinched ends underneath the braided bread.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Place the bread on the baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. With a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg evenly over the bread. Combine the kosher salt and pepper and sprinkle over the top of the bread. Bake until lightly brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

This recipe yields 1 large braided bread.

Source:
EMERIL LIVE with Emeril Lagasse - Recipe adapted from CREOLE CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK, by Emeril Lagasse with Marcelle Bienvenu (c) 1997 - William Morrow Publishing - From the TV FOOD NETWORK - (Show # EM-1B74)

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