Sausage Bread

Bread:
2 tsp dry yeast or .6 oz cake yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 cups warm water or vegetable stock
1 Tbls salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tiny pinch of lavender buds
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp thyme

Filling:
1 pound ground sausage
3/4 cup grated or minced onion
1/4 cup grated carrot
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup (4 oz) cream cheese

1 egg for glaze

Stir together the sugar, yeast, and water/vegetable stock. Stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time. With the last cup, add in the salt and herbs. Knead on a floured countertop until the dough is smooth and less sticky. Coat the dough with oil, place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.

While the dough is rising, cook the sausage, onion, carrot, and garlic in a pot over medium heat. Cook until the sausage is mostly browned. Some pink is ok, as it will be cooked again. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and stir it into the meat mixture.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough out into a rectangle taking up the whole space of the baking sheet, then place the filling along the middle 1/3 of the dough, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of free space at the ends. Cut slashes along the sides of the dough.

 

Fold the short ends over the filling, then fold each fringe piece of dough over the middle, alternating sides and stretching at a diagonal to create a braided look. Pinch closed any large gaps in the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise another 30 minutes.  Towards the end, set the oven to preheat to 350 F.

When the dough is done rising, beat an egg and brush it all over the loaf.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.