The Ralph Sisters’ Fabulous Sausage Bread

The shout-out

Earlier this month our after-school care staff from Hephzibah hosted their fall potluck. It’s a great chance to get to meet some of the parents of the kids our kids see after school, to share wonderful food, and for the kids to use their craft time making the mini-gym look wonderful with handmade decorations, banners, and table covers. I love our Hephzibah staff – Melissa and Linda know my boys as well as any other adult in their lives after 6 years. We are so lucky to have all of these creative and energetic women and men in our kids’ lives.

The main event

I usually bring a vegetarian entrée or dessert. But this year we wanted to dazzle the crowd with one of the best potluck dishes I’ve ever had, my friend Lynn’s Sausage Bread. It’s addictively delicious, and predictably the two loaves we brought vanished with only bread-y scraps left behind. Tom volunteered to bake when my work schedule got hectic. My husband is the best.

Lynn gave me the recipe years ago, and I came across my slightly-battered printed copy recently. It’s called the Ralph Sisters' Sausage Bread and I haven’t asked her about these mysterious relatives because I like to imagine them as slightly-eccentric, slightly-whimsical ladies of a certain age who like a good time and never count calories.

Marginalia

I reproduce the recipe below as I received it, with Lynn’s notes (in blue.) An online friend who sadly died a few years ago, Maria G., added her own notes (in green). Tom's/my notes are in red. I love the way each cook brings their own thoughts and twists to a recipe. I have recipes with my grandmother or my great-aunt Verna’s or my mother-in-laws extra notes on them, and I notice as I flip through some of my cookbooks that I’m adding my own food marginalia that some day my kids may read. (Halve that waffle recipe. Add extra water to the dahl.)

The star of the show

With Lynn’s permission, the best (meat-containing category) appetizer/snack for buffet or potluck. You won’t have leftovers (but please don’t calculate the calories!)

The Ralph Sisters' Fabulous Sausage Bread 

Mix the following together in a HUGE bowl--add enough eggs to make the mix hold together:

2-1/2 lb Italian sausage, cooked thoroughly and chopped (Lynn - I put it through the food processor for a few pulses--also, portion note: I've made this with 3/4 to 1/2 this amount, with good results--you might want to play with it.) Tom yes, definitely reduce the sausage amount.
3-4 eggs
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 lb shredded mozzarella (Lynn - see note above about sausage portion--you can easily make this with less cheese)
handful of parsley, chopped fine 

Make according to package directions, then split in half to rise in greased bowls: One package of bread mix

(Lynn: Note: the original recipe calls for Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix, which IMO is difficult to find in stores and makes a flatter loaf, but the Ralph sisters swear by it. I prefer a white bread mix originally made for bread machine, but made according to the "conventional oven" instructions on the side of the box. Again, you can experiment with this, either using your favorite bread recipe, some exotic box mix, or even premade bread dough from the grocer's case.) 

Tom – we used bread dough/pizza dough rounds from Tony’s Super Store, for local readers (you can also buy them at Turano bakery or Trader Joe’s.)

After dough has risen, roll each ball out in a large rectangle (about the size and shape of your average cutting board), taking care not to roll it out so thin the dough gets holes in it.

Then cover each rectangle (leaving about 1/4-inch or less margin not covered) with 1/2 sausage mixture.

Roll the sausage covered dough, starting at the short end of the rectangle like a jelly roll, and seal ends by moistening them, pinching them together and folding them under, then cover LOOSELY with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes; Allow to bake unwrapped an additional 15 minutes, or until a nice golden brown. Slice and serve!

Tom - Good with dijon mustard!



Maria - I used Williams-Sonoma Parmesan and Tomato Basil bread mix. In making the sausage, I seasoned it with much finely diced onion, pressed garlic, aniseed, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper (to taste.)