Nana'S Sausage Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs loose sweet Italian sausage links (or remove casings from 2 lbs of links)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese (approx. 4 cups)
6 cups flour (set aside 1 cup of the 6)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 envelope rapid rise dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons finely grated locatelli cheese or 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

In frying pan, brown sausage over medium high heat.
Drain drippings and let cool.
Mix 2 eggs, basil, fennel seeds and mozzarella into cooled sausage and set aside.
In large bowl, combine 5 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
In small sauce pan, heat water, milk and butter until hot to the touch (about 125\u00b0), and stir into dry mixture.
Mix in only enough of the reserved 1 cup of flour to make a soft dough.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).
Cover dough and let rest for about 10 minutes.
Divide dough in half, set one half aside.
Roll half the dough into a 6\" x 18\" rectangle.
Spoon half the sausage mixture evenly over the dough to within a 1/2 of the edges.
Fold the dough over the sausage filling and overlap the dough by about 1 1/2\", seal seam and ends by pinching dough together.
Carefully transfer filled dough to a greased baking sheet in a horseshoe shape.
With a very sharp knife or razor, make slashes in the top of dough about 1/2\" deep and about 2\" apart.
Repeat rolling and filling with remaining piece of dough.
Beat remaining egg and brush over both loves of bread.
Lightly sprinkle 1 TB of Locatelli or Parmesan cheese over each loaf (optional).
Cover loaves and let rise until doubled (about 40-50 minutes).
Bake in preheated 375\u00b0 oven for about 25-30 minutes or until done.
Remove from baking sheets and cool slightly.
Serve warm.
Refrigerate leftovers.
Bread can be made a day ahead of time and then warmed in the oven before serving.