Artichoke Braided Bread

This homemade bread along with French bread from our local supermarket (baked fresh daily) is a favourite everywhere it goes. I have opted to change the recipe and used a bread machine, this can be made with a mixer the traditional way, the bread machine just saves time and work for the mixing, rising process. This is an Emeril Lagasse classic !!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can  artichoke hearts packed in oil, drained
• 1  teaspoon  chopped garlic
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  envelope active dry yeast
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  cup warm water
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 1  large egg, beaten

Directions

1. Finely chop artichoke hearts.
2. Add garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, olive oil& mix; set aside.
3. Add artichoke mix, rest of salt and flour to bread machine and mix until it has gone through the rising process, do not bake in bread machine.
4. Once dough is ready, remove from bread machine onto a floured cutting board or wherever you want to work with the dough.
5. Split dough into four sections.
6. Roll two balls into two narrow log shapes, at one end pinch together and braid.
7. Complete the same step with other two logs.
8. Tuck the pinched ends under the braided bread.
9. Place the braids on baking sheet/s, with a brush, brush the beaten egg evenly over breads and bake in a 350 oven until lightly brown, about 30 mins.