Spicy Sausage And Cheese Bread

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium
heat. Add the onions and jalapenos. Continue to cook for 3 minutes. Remove
from the heat and drain on a paper-lined plate. Set aside and cool to room
temperature. Combine the yeast, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in the
bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the water. With the
mixer on low speed, beat the mixture for about 4 minutes to dissolve the
yeast. If the yeast mixture doesn’t begin to foam after a few minutes, it
means it’s not active and will have to be replaced. In a separate large
mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the cornmeal,
salt, sausage mixture, and cheese. Add this mixture. Mix on low speed until
it lightly comes together, then increase the speed to medium and beat until
the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and climbs
slightly up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat the dough
with the remaining teaspoon vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and
turn it to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set in a warm,
draft-free place, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Remove
the dough from the bowl and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Using
your hands, gently roll and form it into a narrow loaf about 24 inches
long. Cut the dough into 18 equal pieces (each about 2 1/2 ounces). With
the palm of your hand, roll the portions on a lightly floured surface to
form small round rolls. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and
sprinkle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornmeal. Place the rolls
about 1-inch apart on the paper. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let
rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Using a sharp knife, make a small X on top of each roll. Bake until golden
brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm. This recipe
yields 18 rolls.