SAUSAGE BREAD AND MARINARA

This crispy loaf of italian sausage bread is one of our special family traditions, especially for sporting events! Nonni Elda used to always send people off to watch sports with a fresh-out-of-the-oven loaf of this hearty homemade bread, and we are excited to share that tradition with you! We also can’t resist serving this with some homemade marinara sauce.

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

40 Minutes

Serves

6

Ingredients

For the Marinara

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of basil
  • 1 teaspoon of thyme
  • ½ teaspoon of oregano
  • ½ tablespoon of crushed red pepper
  • A few pinches of salt
  • 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

For the Bread

  • You can either make your own bread dough or use a canned pizza dough.
  • ¾ cup of cheese, half Romano and half parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ to 1 whole pound of ground sausage (we use half spicy italian sausage and half mild italian sausage).
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Optional

You can accent your sausage flavors by cooking them in ⅓ bottle of Elda’s Kitchen Kentucky Bourbon sauce.

Directions

For the Marinara

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat through. Add your two cloves of minced garlic to the olive oil and stir. Add your herbs and stir. Next, add your tomatoes and stir. Add a few pinches of salt, stir, and let simmer on low for a while. You’ll know when this is ready by the smell and the taste. The flavors should combine well.

For the Sausage Bread 

Cook up your sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. We like to cook a mix of ground sausage, one half hot Italian sausage and half mild Italian sausage. You’ll fill your loaf of bread with anywhere between half a pound to a whole pound of sausage. Once cooked through, set aside.

Roll out your dough into a long, even rectangle. Lay your sausage out over the dough and then sprinkle with your cheese. Next, take two eggs and beat them. Spoon your egg mixture onto your sausage and cheese, saving a little to wash the top of the loaf. Carefully roll the dough into a long loaf, pinching the edges together to keep the sausage from falling out. Tuck the ends underheath. Next, take a large, greased baking sheet and place your bread on it. Brush your dough all over with the rest of your beaten egg. Score your bread with a knife, being careful not to cut too deep. 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Your finished bread will be golden brown and, when you knock on it, it will sound hollow. Remove from the oven and let cool, then slice diagonally, dip in your marinara sauce and enjoy!