Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Bread

Ingredients

¾ cup warm water (100 -110°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2¼ teaspoons)
2¾ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, divided
¼ cup pureed roasted red bell pepper
1 large egg
¾ teaspoon salt
Cooking Spray
8 ounces Cabot Pepper Jack Cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon Cabot Salted Butter, melted

Directions

COMBINE water, sugar and yeast in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2¼ cups of flour, pureed pepper, egg and salt to yeast mixture; stir until soft dough forms.

TURN dough out onto floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding some of remaining flour a tablespoon at a time to keep dough from sticking. (Alternatively, prepare dough in electric bread machine.)

PLACE dough in large bowl coated with cooking spray; lightly coat surface of dough with additional cooking spray. Cover and let rise in warm (85°F), draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

PUNCH dough down; cover with clean kitchen towel and let stand for 10 minutes. Turn out onto lightly floured work surface and roll out into 12-by-8-inch rectangle.

SPRINKLE cheese over dough, leaving ½-inch margin around edges. Beginning with long side, roll up jellyroll fashion; pinch seam to seal completely.

COAT 8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and place dough seam-side-down in pan. Lightly spray top of dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise again in warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

PREHEAT oven to 375°F towards the end of rising time. Uncover bread and bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

REMOVE loaf from pan and brush top with melted butter. Let cool completely on wire rack.

CUT into ½-inch-thick slices with serrated knife.