Portuguese Sausage, Ham, and Cheese Bread

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until the liquid is foamy, 8 to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk 2 of the eggs and add them to the yeast mixture along with the oil. Process on low speed until blended.

Scoop in the flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed, scraping down the bowl once or twice, until a smooth, sticky ball forms, 7 to 10 minutes. Add up to 1/2 cup flour, a little at a time, if needed. It's okay if it's still a bit of a sticky, shaggy mess at this point.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, adding more flour if needed, until supple, 3 to 5 minutes.

Flatten the dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) disk, sprinkle with the presunto, chouriço, and cheese, and knead to distribute the pieces evenly. It will seem like a lot of work, but press on.

Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Lightly dust a work surface with flour, turn the dough out, and knead several times.

Cut the dough into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Transfer the balls to the baking sheet and let rise, covered with a towel, until double in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, crank up the oven to 425°F (218°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven.

Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the loaves with the mixture. Bake until the loaves are deeply brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The loaves will keep for up to 2 days when covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. But you can't beat them on the day they're made.

Appetizers