PARMESAN CHEESE BREAD

PARMESAN CHEESE BREAD
3 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago Parmesan Cheese
extra-extra virgin olive oil

• Sift together the four, yeast and salt.
• Stir in the water until dough forms.
• Sprinkle with 1/2 the cheese.
• Transfer to a well floured surface.
• Knead until soft, elastic and no longer sticky (about 10 minutes). Add flour as necessary to reduce stickiness.
• Knead the dough until it remains rounded and doesn't flatten out when left to sit for a few minutes.
• Arrange into a round.
• Brush the surface with olive oil.
• Cover loosely with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 2 hours).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Brush a 9 inch round pan with olive oil.
• Put remaining cheese on a plate.
• Punch down the dough and knead a few more times with fresh flour.
• For rolls - divide dough into12 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a ball.
• Roll each ball in the cheese and then place in pan with the edges touching. 9 balls around the outside, 3 balls in the center.
• Cover with a flour sack towel and allow to rise again.
• Cut a small slash in the top of each ball.
• Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 10 minutes and the reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until golden and crispy, about 20-30 minutes more.
• Serve hot or transfer to a wire rack and cool and then slice.