White Bean, Bacon, and Escarole Soup with Dad's Sausage Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound white beans (great northern or navy)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 12 cups chicken stock or broth
• Salt
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head escarole, washed and chopped
• Crushed red pepper, optional
• 1 batch Dad's Sausage Bread, recipe follows
• 2 2/3 cups water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 7 grams rapid rise yeast (2 packets)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 pounds Italian sweet sausage, casing removed, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup mozzarella, diced
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped