This is an easy to make whole grain sourdough bread that's filled with Italian cheeses and herbs. I use white whole-wheat flour in the bread, which keeps it lighter than traditional whole-wheat flour. A small amount of dried Italian herbs adds flavor without overpowering the other tastes. I use shredded "quattro formaggi cheese, which is a blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina, and mild Provolone, to make the bread, but you can use what you have available and like. Because it's been so hot and humid here in northern Virginia, I've forgone the regular oven for a while and make the bread in the air fryer. I actually prefer the bread that way. The air fryer gives the bread a crispy, but not hard crust. How does a big loaf fit in my air fryer? It doesn't. Instead of baking a traditional loaf, I roll the dough into a spiral/snail shape and bake a round loaf. It works fine! Well, for the photo it worked fine except for a slight burn on top of the loaf where it rose too close to the heating element in the air fryer! Still, the bread is good, and I don't heat up the kitchen so much. The bread is great for dinner, for sandwiches, with soups and salads, and for breakfast. Enjoy!
Sourdough Italian Cheese Roll Bread -- Makes 1 Round Loaf
1 cup of sourdough starter
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup of warmish milk
1 cup of white whole-wheat flour
In a large bowl mix the ingredients above well and let them sit for at least an hour. I usually let my mixture sit for 4-5 hours, and it's fine. When you're ready, add:
1 cup of white whole-wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
Mix, then knead in the flour and salt. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, adding an additional 1/4 cup of flour or so, if necessary, to keep the dough from being too sticky to knead. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 6- X 14-inches long. Sprinkle the dough with 1 cup of shredded mixed Italian (or Italian-style) cheeses and 1/2 teaspoon of dried Italian herbs. Starting from a long end, roll up the dough, jelly-roll style, and pinch the ends together to seal the dough-log. Starting from one end, roll the dough-log up in a spiral or "snail" and tuck the end under the dough. Place the dough onto a small piece of baking parchment that will fit in your air fryer basket. Spritz the dough with non-stick cooking spray, loosely cover the dough, and let it rise until it increases in volume by about one-third. Air fry the dough at 320 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until the loaf is deep brown and/or an instant read thermometer inserted in the bread reads at least 190 degrees. Remove the loaf from the air fryer and let it cool completely before slicing it for the neatest slices.
