Italian Bread Appetizer Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix melted butter, parsley, olive oil, and garlic together in a bowl.
• Slice bread diagonally without cutting all the way through; do the same on the opposite diagonal to create cube-shaped sections still attached to the bottom crust.
• Spoon butter mixture carefully between sections; stuff in shredded Italian cheese blend. Wrap loaf in aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; unwrap and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan cook oil and garlic together over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, until garlic is golden and fragrant. Discard garlic and set aside saucepan of garlic-flavored oil.
• On lightly floured surface stretch and roll dough into 12" square; place on lightly greased baking sheet and brush with reserved garlic-flavored oil. Sprinkle evenly with salami and cheese. Arrange roasted peppers and green onions down center of dough, leaving a 1" border at each end and a 3" border on each side.
• Use a knife or scissors to make eight 3" cuts into dough along both sides of the filling. Bring dough strips up across filling at an angle, alternating sides to give a braided effect. Pinch dough at bottom and top to seal in filling.
• Brush braid with egg mixture; sprinkle evenly with poppy seeds. Set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free location 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy. (If you're using wheat bread, rising time may be longer.).
• Heat oven to 350°F Bake 35 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove bread from baking sheet and cool 5 minutes on wire rack. Cut into 16 slices and serve warm or at room temperature.