“Briolata” is an Italian sausage bread of Sicilian origin that is similar to a focaccia or calzone. Also known as Bignolati, the bread is filled with sausage and caramelized onions then shaped into a ring.
I used the new gluten free Pizza Crust Mix from Better Batter to recreate this Italian inspired recipe. Another gluten free makeover success story that was truly easy!
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Ingredients:
- 454 g (1 lb. bag) Better Batter Pizza Crust Mix
- 7 g (1 pkg.) instant yeast
- 1-1/2 cups (340 g) warm water
- 2 tbsp. (30 g) olive oil
- 1 large, sweet onion, diced
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used Premio)
- fresh ground pepper
- more olive oil, for brushing
- coarse salt
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Preparation:
Combine the Pizza Crust Mix, yeast, water and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead for 5 minutes, then shape the dough into a ball. Place it in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning take the dough out of the refrigerator while you prepare the onions and sausage.
Melt the butter in a large, stainless-steel skillet. Dice the onions and add to the pan. Cook them slowly on medium low heat, stirring occasionally until soft and caramelized, taking on a golden-brown color.
Set the onions aside to drain in a colander, and add the sausage to the same skillet, breaking it up with a spatula. Continue turning and chopping the meat until browned all over and cooked through. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and combine with the onions to drain and cool to room temperature.
Cut a sheet of parchment paper and lay it out on the counter. Sprinkle with flour and turn the dough out.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle, about 11″ x 14″. You are going to love working with this dough. It rolls like a dream, who knew gluten free could do that?
Sprinkle the dough with fresh ground pepper and spread half of the sausage and onions in a thin layer. You don’t want to load it up with too much filling.
Now do an envelope fold.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll out again into a rectangle. Spread with the remaining sausage and onions. Repeat the envelope fold.
Next turn the dough seam side down and shape it into a round. Pinch the dough to patch any cracks and smooth with a spatula.
Here’s a trick to form the ring. Gently insert one end of your French rolling pin into the center of the dough. Rotate to open up the center!
Once you have formed the ring, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 500º with a baking stone on the middle shelf.
Just before baking, rub or brush the loaf with olive oil and cut slits in the dough for steam to escape. You may want to trim the parchment paper, so the edges don’t burn. I used a pizza peel to transfer the bread ring onto the pizza stone with the parchment. Throw a few ice cubes onto the bottom of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, carefully remove the parchment paper with long tongs. Reduce the oven temperature to 450º, throw in a few more ice cubes and continue baking directly on the pizza stone for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205º.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly before slicing. SO GOOD!!!
This bread is best eaten while still slightly warm the day it is baked. If you reheat it, I highly recommend using an air fryer to maintain the crunchy crust. Microwaving will do in a pinch, but it does change the texture. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days or freeze slices for longer storage.
Notes ♪♫ If you thought that rolling and shaping gluten free dough was an impossible dream, pinch yourself! With the new Gluten Free Bread Flour and Pizza Crust Mix from Better Batter, you can do all that and more! Be sure to use my Promo Code MGFC30 when you shop at Better Batter, for 30% off your full price purchase.
