2 oz dried chile ancho or guajillo (56g)
5–6 cups bread flour (625g-750g) – 110°F- 115°F (43°C- 46°C)
1 tbsp. yeast (7g)
1 tsp. salt (4g)
1 tbsp. sugar (12.5g)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (115g)
1 tbsp. tomato paste (15g)
1 cup water (240ml)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (112g)
1 tbsp. olive oil (15ml)
Place the chile ancho in a small saucepan and fill halfway full with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 7 minutes, until the chiles are soft. Drain water and rinse chiles, allowing to cool completely. Remove the stem and seeds, rinsing away any seeds if necessary. Place the chiles in a blender with 1 cup (240ml) of fresh water. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the 4 cups of the bread flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and stir to form a sponge. Add the cheese, chile puree tomato paste and mix to evenly distribute throughout the flour. Stir in small amounts of the remaining flour.
Once the dough is too stiff to stir with a spoon, transfer to a clean floured surface for hand kneading or an electric mixer for machine kneading. Add small amounts of extra flour as needed so that dough is not sticky. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or 4 minutes using the dough hook attachment on your electric mixer.
Coat the interior of a clean bowl with olive oil and add the kneaded dough, turning once or twice to coat the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft free space for 1 hour.
Brush the interior of a 5″ x 9″ (12.7cm x 23cm) bread loaf pan with olive oil. Remove the kitchen towel and punch down the dough. Shape the dough into a loaf and place in the bread loaf pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft free space for 1 hour.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) for at least 15 minutes. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Begin preheating after dough has risen 45 minutes.