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Three presunto and cheese loaves on a wooden cutting board, with one cut into several slices and knife lying beside it.
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4.78 / 9 votes

Portuguese Sausage, Ham, and Cheese Bread

These sausage, ham, and cheese loaves turn out a hearty, traditional Portuguese bread made with presunto, chouriço, and semi-firm sheep's milk cheese. The dough can also be made into rolls.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 25 minutes
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: Portuguese
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 226

Ingredients

  • One (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F | 43°C)
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the bowl
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Two (1/4-inch) thick slices presunto, serrano, or prosciutto, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) cubes
  • 6 ounces chouriço, linguiça, or dry-cured smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) cubes
  • 1/2 pound semi-firm sheep’s milk cheese, such as Nisa, Roncal, or Manchego, coarsely shredded
  • Coarse cornmeal, for dusting
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until the liquid is foamy, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk 2 of the eggs and add them to the yeast mixture along with the oil. Process on low speed until blended.
  • Scoop in the flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed, scraping down the bowl once or twice, until a smooth, sticky ball forms, 7 to 10 minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup flour, a little at a time, if needed. It’s okay if it’s still a bit of a sticky, shaggy mess at this point.
  • Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, adding more flour if needed, until supple, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Flatten the dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) disk, sprinkle with the presunto, chouriço, and cheese, and knead to distribute the pieces evenly. It will seem like a lot of work, but press on.
  • Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Lightly dust a work surface with flour, turn the dough out, and knead several times.
  • Cut the dough into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Transfer the balls to the baking sheet and let rise, covered with a towel, until double in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, crank up the oven to 425°F (218°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven.
  • Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the loaves with the mixture. Bake until the loaves are deeply brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The loaves will keep for up to 2 days when covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. But you can’t beat them on the day they’re made.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 331mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g