Italian Bread Wreath

These wreaths make marvelous holiday gifts. It's an easy recipe, with common ingredients yet so delicious and so tempting. The smell in the house while baking is divine. You can change the filling, use cocoa powder, or only grounded walnuts or almonds, grounded poppy seeds may work as well. I have used a filling with Oregano. It gives an Italian flavor.

Bread:

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)

1-1/2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup butter, softened

7 to 7-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons water

Tomato Filling:

Tomatoes - 3 medium sized

Onion - 1 small

Garlic - 4

Oregano - 1/4 tsp

Black Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp

Tomato Sauce - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp(optional)

Oilve Oil or Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Dissolve yeast in water.

Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and bring them together.

Add 3-1/2 cups flour and mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Boil enough water and add the tomatoes.Let it get cooked for 2-3 mins. Take it out of the boiling water.Let it cool down and peel of the skin.Puree it to a fine paste(no water to be added). Keep aside.

Heat oil, add onion,garlic and saute till lightly brown in color.Add the tomato puree. Allow it to cook til the raw smell leaves and puree has reduced. Add the oregano, pepper, salt, sugar, chilli flakes at this stage. Bring it together.

First, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Spread the filling over the dough.

Note: Always opt for the gigantic cutting board or a clean counter as a work surface.

Starting with the long edge, roll dough, semi-tightly, into a rope. Seal the long edge by pinching.

Cut down the entire middle of the rope to create two pieces, which will be braided/twisted together.

Starting with one end, pinch ends together and braid the two pieces, keeping the open side up. Wrap into a wreath and connect the ends together.