Beer Bread Bruschetta with Salami is my antidote to everything summer: picnics, parties, or light summer meals! You’ll love these bites made with homemade beer bread!
Your favorite Columbus Salame such as Columbus Italian Dry Salame, Sopressata and Artisan Collection Crespone Salame(in sticks or pre-sliced for convenience)
Micro greens (I used micro scallion. Or substitute chives, finely sliced scallion, etc.)
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
For the Beer Bread Baguette
In a mixing bowl, add the water, beer, yeast, salt and sugar and mix to combine. Add the all purpose flour, bread flour and Parmesan cheese, and using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, mix until all the flour is incorporated. There is no need to knead, just mix until combined.
Lightly cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a draft free place at room temperature for about two hours, or until the dough has risen and flattened on top.
If you plan on preparing the bread at a later time, then lightly cover the bowl and transfer to the refrigerator. The dough can be stored up to a week. However, the dough may be used immediately after the first rise.
When you are ready to bake, lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour and using floured hands, grab about an orange sized piece (about ½ pound in size), and cut if off with kitchen shears or a knife. Dust the dough with a little more flour, then turn the ends under, forming a ball in your hands. Once you have a ball, stretch the dough, dusting with a little more dough if necessary, and roll or fold the dough into a cylinder shape about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Place the dough on parchment paper and let it rest for about twenty minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with a baking stone in the center of the oven, and a broiler tray or cake pan on a shelf underneath.
When the dough is rested, lightly brush the loaf with some water and use a wet serrated knife to slash the bread with diagonal cuts down the length of the loaf.
Transfer the dough with the parchment paper onto the baking stone. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler pan, close the oven door, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a nice crust has formed on the baguette.
Remove the baguette from the oven and let it cool on a rack before slicing.
For the Beer Bread Bruschetta with Salami
Slice the beer bread baguette in about 1 inch thick slices. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides with olive oil, then place on a grill pan or grill to toast. You can also put it under the broiler for just a few minutes until golden brown on both sides.
Spread a little ricotta cheese on the toasts, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with a few slivers of pimiento pepper and thinly sliced Columbus Salami. Top with micro scallion. Enjoy!
Notes
Beer Bread Baguette adapted from recipes for Baguette and Wisconsin Beer-Cheese Bread, The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois (Thomas Dunn Books, 2013).