Recipes and Cooking Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Braid Be the first to rate & review! Turn your usual sweet bread braid savory with this cheesy sausage and pepper version. By Zoë François Zoë François Facebook Instagram Twitter Website Zoë François is a pastry chef and the author of four cookbooks. She blogs about food for her own brand, Zoë Bakes, and also makes cooking appearances on Magnolia Network. In addition, Zoë works as a culinary instructor for the University of Minnesota and a baking instructor for the Cooks of Crocus Hill. She specializes in artisanal breads and cakes.Zoë graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor of fine arts degree in Art. She later graduated from The Culinary Institute of America before working in various restaurants in the "Twin Cities" of Minnesota. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on August 12, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Zoë François Hands On Time: 20 mins Bake Time: 30 mins Total Time: 2 hrs Servings: 6 Yield: 1 braid Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients Flour for dusting No-Knead Dough Base 2 tablespoon olive oil 7 ounce fresh mozzarella, sliced 5 ounce cooked Italian sausage ½ cup roasted red pepper strips 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ¼ cup pasta sauce olive oil for brushing 1 tablespoon sesame seeds No-Knead Dough Base 3 cup water (105°F to 115°F) 1 tablespoon instant or active yeast 1 tablespoon kosher salt 6 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour Directions Dust work surface with flour. Roll out dough to a 10x12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper; brush with olive oil. Layer dough with half the mozzarella, cooked sausage, roasted red pepper, thyme leaves, and finish with the remaining mozzarella. Drizzle with pasta sauce. Cut eight evenly spaced horizontal slices toward filling along each side. Starting from top, cross strips over top of the filling. (Strips should cross each other about 1 1/2 inches from ends.) Do not stretch strips too much or they may break during baking. Repeat for all strips, folding last two under loaf. Place braid on parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet. Let rest 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush braid with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 1 braid. No-Knead Dough Base In a 5-quart nonreactive container, mix water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add flour; mix until just incorporated. Cover dough loosely; allow to rise at room temperature about 2 hours. Do not punch dough down. Shape and bake dough the day it's made or refrigerate in a lidded container (not airtight) for up to 14 days. (The dough is easier to work with after several hours of refrigeration.) If dough is chilled, let it rest 30 minutes at room temperature before using. Makes 3 1/2 pounds. Chicken, Spinach and Feta Braid In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Add 2 minced cloves garlic, 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, and 2 Tbsp. green onion; sauté 1 minute or until wilted. Add 8 cups chopped spinach; cook 2 minutes or until wilted and liquid cooks off. Let cool. Continue as directed in Step 1. Omit sausage, red pepper, thyme, and half the fresh mozzarella. Layer dough with 4 ounces shredded chicken, 3 ounces crumbled feta, 3 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. basil pesto, and the spinach mixture. Continue as directed through resting. Brush braid with egg wash (1 egg and 1 Tbsp. water), sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake. Makes 1 braid This dough keeps in the fridge up to 2 weeks. Remove portions to make a boule, a loaf, or rolls. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 387 Calories 20g Fat 34g Carbs 15g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 387 % Daily Value * Total Fat 20g 26% Saturated Fat 7g 35% Cholesterol 43mg 14% Total Carbohydrate 34g 12% Total Sugars 1g Protein 15g *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.