Bread-Bakers v110.n031.3

In Response to Marsha's question.

>In looking through my recipes for Muffaletta, one of them has the 
>following statement:
>
>The Bread: Muffuletta is actually a Sicilian word for a special 
>round loaf of bread, baked so that the center is hollow and can be stuffed...
>
>They go on to say to just use a 10" round loaf and hollow out the 
>center yourself.
>
>My question: I realize I'm an amateur bread baker, but I've never 
>heard of a bread that can be baked so that it has a hollow center. 
>Is there such a bread?

Dear Perplexed Hole Finder,

Breads with a hole in the middle are quite common, Indian Fry Bread 
probably being the most well known. Most of the time the holes in the 
middle are to allow evil spirits to escape. And, yes, I'm serious as 
a heart attack. You might want to pick up Betsy Oppeneer's book 
"Celebration Breads From Around the World." I believe several of the 
recipes in there have evil spirit escape hatches. Btw I'm kinda 
partial to that book as I was a recipe tester. Anywho, I hope you 
enjoy the book and enjoy baking as much as I do.

Pedro.