Rustic Braid with Cured Meats and Mozzarella

Method

1. Place all dough ingredients except salt and oil into the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Add flour (00 and Manitoba), yeast, sugar, eggs, and milk. Mix with the dough hook.
3. After a few minutes, once the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides, add the salt.
4. Then add the oil in a steady stream.
5. When the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, transfer to a lightly floured surface. Lightly oil your hands and fold the dough a few times, forming a ball.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2–3 hours depending on temperature.
7. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide in half.
8. Roll each half into a rectangle about 0.5 cm thick (not too thin).
9. Fill each rectangle with mixed cured meats, a sprinkle of black pepper, grated Parmesan, and mozzarella (which should have been drained overnight in the refrigerator).
10. Roll each rectangle tightly into a log.
11. Braid the two logs together and place on a baking sheet.
12. Let rise again for about 1–1.5 hours.
13. Brush the surface with beaten egg.
14. Bake in a preheated fan-forced oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 40 minutes until golden brown.