Parmesan Jalapeño Bread (in a Dutch Oven)

I loaf this bread so much! See what I did there? It’s cheesy with a little heat and perfect for eating on its own, on a charcuterie board, or as a sandwich or grilled cheese (because you can never have enough cheese).

Homemade bread is best eaten the day it’s made. If I don’t eat the whole thing in one sitting (which is hard to do), I thickly slice and freeze it. When I feel like having a slice, I grab it from the freezer and pop it in the toaster and it’s so delicious!

Plan for about 3-4 hours including rise time. Another reason this bread is great is that it can be made in the morning and you’ll have fresh bread by lunch time.

Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

550g (3 1/2 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting

250g (2 1/2 cups) shredded Parmesan, divided

2 jalapeñoes, coarsely chopped

1 jalapeño, sliced into rings

1 tbsp salt

2 cups warm water

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

In a large bowl combine flour, 200g (2 cups) shredded Parmesan, salt, and the coarsely chopped jalapeños. In a small bowl (such as a glass measuring cup), combine warm water and yeast. Mix and add to your large bowl of flour. Using a wooden spoon start to combine flour and water/yeast mixture, then move to using your hands, until a rough dough is formed (do not knead). Dough will be sticky! Starting from the outer edge, fold the dough inward 8 times as best as you can. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Using the spatula or your hands, fold the dough another 8 times and cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes. Add your Dutch oven with lid to your oven and preheat to 450 for 30 minutes. On a floured surface, flip over your dough and fold 8 times. Flip the dough over so the seam is on the bottom. Using your cupped hands and adding flour as needed so it doesn’t stick, try to tighten the shape of the loaf. Brush off excess flour and transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Brush the top with olive oil and add your sliced jalapeños along with the remaining parmesan. Score to release steam while baking. Transfer your loaf and parchment paper to your hot Dutch oven and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes, then bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Allow the loaf to cool before slicing.

Recipe inspired by Tasty.