This Italian cheese bread is stuffed with prosciutto, cheese, and olives, rolled up to create layers of pillowy-soft dough, hot melty cheese, salty prosciutto, and olives. Topped with grated parmesan, pepper flakes, and black pepper for a spicy crispy top!
Italian Cheese Bread
This Italian cheese bread is stuffed with prosciutto, cheese, and olives and rolled up into a wreath-like shape to create layer of fluffy dough, cheese, prosciutto, and olives.
It was sure to be on my grandma’s table at every Holiday and family gathering (my grandma was born and raised in Italy, so you know it’s good) and it was always served as an appetizer along a bottle or two (or three) of red wine.
The best part is how flavorful it is thanks to all the melty cheese, prosciutto, and olives but feel free to make variations and add in pepperoni, pepperoncini, sun-dried tomatoes, or even jalapeños (YES PLZ) for a fusion kitchen moment!
Why you’ll love it:
- Soft dough. The dough is perfectly soft and fluffy, it feels like biting into a cloud stuffed with all sorts of good stuff.
- Flavorful. Melty cheese, prosciutto, olives – need I say more?
- Easy to make. Once you make the dough, all you have to do is add the add-ins, roll it, shape it into a garland, and bake it!
- Perfect for the Holidays. It’s sure to be something new and a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients for Italian Cheese Bread
- All-purpose flour. For the dough.
- Instant yeast. All you need to do is throw it into the bowl, nothing fancy. If you’re new to baking with yeast, check out my Beginner’s Guide To Baking With Yeast and it will answer all of your questions!
- Salt.
- Water. It has to be warm in order to activate the yeast (110F or 40C max).
- Oil. I recommend using olive oil to give it an extra boost of Mediterranean flavor.
- Cheese. For the filling. Use any cheese that melts easily. I recommend an Italian cheese if you want to make it as Italian-tasting as possible: Fontina would be my first pick but you can go with Asiago for a milder flavor. Young Gouda also works. I don’t recommend mozzarella cheese as the flavor is so mild it wouldn’t add much to your bread or any creamy cheese such as Brie, Camembert or Gorgonzola (way too melty, they will leak out).
- Olives. I recommend green olives but black or Kalamata (they’re Greek though) will also work (or a mix of any of these).
- Prosciutto. This really adds a ton of flavor to your bread so I highly recommend adding it. A good alternative could be pepperoni or even salami.
- Egg. For the egg wash.
- Toppings (optional): grated parmesan cheese (pecorino also works but the flavor is different), red pepper flakes, black pepper.
How to make Italian Cheese Bread
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, mix together the flours, yeast, and salt. Add in the water and knead or mix using a kitchen a stand-mixer fitted with a dough hook until a dough comes together. Keep working until the dough is mostly smooth and elastic. Add in the oil and knead until completely smooth and elastic. Don’t freak out if you’re kneading by hand, the dough will become a bit messy but it will come together and mixing the oil last minute guarantees a much softer dough!
- Let rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to raise until double in size (about 40-60 minutes).
- Assemble. Punch down the dough to remove any trapped air bubble, then roll out into a large rectangle (about ). Top with cheese, prosciutto, and olives. Roll it up into a very tight log then cut off the edges where there are no add-ins, and shape into a garland by pinching together the two ends. Use a knife to cut a few slits over the top of the bread and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
- Let rise again until puffy (about 20-30 minutes).
- Bake. Brush with a beaten egg then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and black pepper right before baking. Bake until the parmesan looks golden and crispy or the bottom looks golden. You don’t want it to brown much on top because it may turn out dry if you over-bake. Enjoy hot with some wine!
More Add-Ins that everyone will love
If you want to make different cheese bread versions, here are a few add-ins that will taste delicious:
- Pepperoncini.
- Pepperoni or salami.
- Mortadella.
- Sun-dried tomatoes.
- Pistachios.
- Capers.
- Sauteed mushrooms.
- Caramelized onions.
- Chorizo.
- Jalapeños.
- Queso fresco.
Can I make this bread ahead of time?
Yes! Simply follow the recipe through step 2, then place the covered bowl in the refrigerator and allow to raise overnight. The next day, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and follow the recipe (step 3).
How can I store the leftovers?
If your kitchen isn’t particularly hot, I recommend placing the leftovers in an air-tight container and storing it at room temperature for a day.
If you want to store it for longer than a day, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave until hot.
I don’t recommend storing in the refrigerator or freezing because the dough will dry up, room temperature for a day is best and it’s what I always do.
HAPPY BAKING!! I hope you’ll love this Italian Cheese Bread with prosciutto and olives as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
MORE SAVORY BAKED GOODS YOU’LL LOVE:
- Pumpkin Bagels
- Pan De Yuca Recipe (Latin American Cheese Bread)
- Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Boat Bread)
Italian Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups (380 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 package (7 g) instant yeast
- 1 tsp white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cups minus 2 tbsp (220 ml) warm water
- 3 (45 ml) olive oil (or sunflower, vegetable, canola)
- 8 oz (225 g) cheese such as Fontina, Asiago, or young Gouda (I do NOT recommend shredded mozzarella cheese, creamy cheeses such as Brie, or hard cheeses)
- 1 cup (180 ml) green olives
- 3 oz (85 g) prosciutto (or pepperoni)
- 1 egg (beaten, for the egg wash)
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (optional, for topping)
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for topping)
- Ground black pepper (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt. Add in the water and knead or mix using a kitchen a stand-mixer fitted with a dough hook until a dough comes together. Keep working until the dough is mostly smooth and elastic. Add in the oil and knead until completely smooth and elastic again. Don't freak out if you're kneading by hand, it will get a bit messy but the dough will come together!
- Let rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to raise until double in size (about 40-60 minutes).
- Assemble. Punch down the dough to remove any air bubbles, then roll out into a large rectangle (about ). Top with cheese, prosciutto, and olives. Roll it up into a very tight log then cut off the edges where there are no add-ins, and shape into a garland by pinching together the two ends. Use a knife to cut a few slits over the top of the bread and place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel.
- Let rise again until puffy (about 20-30 minutes).
- Bake. Brush the bread with a beaten egg then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and black pepper right before baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the parmesan looks golden and crispy or the bottom looks golden. You don't want it to brown much on top because it may turn out dry if you over-bake. Enjoy hot with some wine!
Notes
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