The “Recipes from Home” program created by Keith Brady, USM’s Director of Dining Services, and promoted by Janet Etzel, USM’s Coordinator of Early Student Involvement and Family Relations, was recently featured in the Portland Press Herald by feature writer Meredith Goad. Brady’s innovative idea involves getting students’ favorite recipes from their parents, and having his talented culinary teams at the three southern Maine campuses recreate them, one recipe per month. The menu this Thursday will include a savory chicken entrée, sent from freshman Christopher Porter’s family in Southbury, Connecticut.
This program illustrates USM’s support and understanding of the significant connection between food and family. Its importance was further underscored firsthand when my son Connor, a sophomore at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, said he couldn’t wait to come home for some stuffed bread. Despite the allure of those famous Philly Cheese Steaks, he wants stuffed bread from home. While every locale has its own specialties, there’s simply no place like home. Although Connor won’t be back in Maine until Thanksgiving, he can be sure stuffed bread will be waiting for him.
This recipe is one of the easiest and most versatile meals you can create. Any dough you use will be fine – buy a dough ball from the market or your nearest pizza joint if you don’t want to make your own dough. What you stuff it with is up to you. Back in the day, bakery favorites included Greek stuffed bread, with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, herbs, provolone, oregano, and sun dried tomatoes; Mediterraneans were created with marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, Moroccan olives, sun dried tomatoes, and provolone; the most amazing was the Baja, which had pepperoni, Genoa salami, jalapeños, provolone and cheddar. We also used to make stuffed bread for the Thursday night local poker players which included meat and cheese, ancho chilies, Scotch Bonnet peppers, chili peppers, jalapeños — capsaicin in any form, the higher the Scoville heat unit the better. Eye protection and latex gloves were required to assemble – that was one hot senorita!
Although the bread is optimal right from the oven, it can be enjoyed other ways other days. If there’s a loaf around after a few days, Connor will slice and butter several pieces to grill on a cast iron pan which actually brings the bread to new heights.
Stuffed bread is great for taking to games, picnics, or makes a nice change from sandwiches. Supermarkets sell reduced produce along with meat and cheese ends which is a cheaper alternative.
Anne McCormack, former owner of the Village Bakehouse, is an English major who also teaches cooking classes at her farm in New Gloucester.