These savoury tear-and-share bread swirls are great for a lunchtime snack or as an accompaniment to soup.
INGREDIENTS
400g plain flour, plus extra for kneading & dusting
7g fast-action dried yeast
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp golden caster sugar
150g fresh pesto
200g baby tomatoes
100g grated mozzarella
Small handful of finely-chopped basil
METHOD
Mix the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and then slowly add approx ¾ of a jug of 260ml water and bring together as a dough. If the dough remains a little dry, slowly add the remaining water.
Tip onto a clean floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until the texture is smooth and springy. Leave to rest in an upturned bowl which has been coated with a little oil and cover with a damp tea towel or greased cling film to prove for approx 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Alternatively, prepare the morning or night before use (approx 12 hours) and wrap the dough in cling film.
Proving the dough in your refrigerator is often considered superior by some as it is believed to improve the structure and taste of the dough and makes it more flexible when kneading and shaping to make your pizza base (or loaf, this is also applicable when making many other types of bread). Without getting too scientific, refrigeration slows the rate at which the yeast works and results in a longer and more stable rise allowing more time for a deeper flavour to develop and you don’t have to run the risk of that short window where you can “over-prove” the dough when allowing to rise at room temperature.
Take a square or rectangular baking tray (approx 40 x 30 cm) and line with a sheet of baking parchment.
Roll the ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock back for approx 1-2 minutes to remove any air bubbles. Press and roll into around 40 x 30 cm in size. Use a spoon to evenly spread the pesto (I’m using fiery chilli pesto for an extra kick) over the dough, almost all the way to the edges and then scatter over your cheese, roughly-diced tomatoes and basil.
Roll up the dough towards you, taking one of the longer edges and folding into a sausage.
Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 9 or 12 pieces depending on if your baking tray is square or rectangular. Place the sliced swirls cut-side up on the baking tray and ensure that the end of the roll is tucked in to avoid them from uncoiling during proving or cooking. Leave a little space between each roll as they will expand and grow as they prove.
Loosely cover the tray with oiled cling film and leave to prove for another 30 mins – 1 hr or until almost doubled in size again.
Preheat the oven to around 200°C (fan 180°C/Gas 6).
Uncover the bread, drizzle with a little oil (again, I’m using chilli oil for added heat and flavour) and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35 – 40 mins until the appearance is golden brown and the centre of each swirl is dry enough to not be doughy and undercooked.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before eating warm, or leave to fully cool and enjoy later.
Hope you enjoy the recipe, please feel free to leave constructive comments.
Lots of love.
AJ. X