These large bread rolls come with a gooey cheese centre and a spicy chilli kick and are great for making loaded sandwiches or as an accompaniment to soup.
INGREDIENTS
500g plain flour, plus extra for kneading
7g fast-action dried yeast
2 tsp fine sea salt
3 tbsp olive oil
50g grated cheddar
2 Jalapeno chillies
METHOD
Mix the flour, yeast and salt together in a mixing bowl.
Deseed and roughly chop the chillies. Use cold water to wash your hands after as hot water can make your skin absorb the chillies making it harder to wash off.
Make a well in the centre and add the oil and then slowly add approx. ¾ of a jug of 300ml 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 satin. 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 hour 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 rectangular baking tray (approx 40 x 30cm) and line with a sheet of baking parchment and lightly dust with flour.
Roll the ball of dough onto a lightly floured or oiled surface and knock back for approx 1-2 minutes to remove any air bubbles. Press and roll into a ball and then using a sharp knife, divide and roll into 4 equal balls, pressing the top of each down lightly.
Place the individual rolls onto the baking tray. 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 200°C/Gas 7).
Place a small deep baking tray half-filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Leave for around 15 minutes. This will create steam which will allow the dough to spring at the start of the bake and form a nice crusty layer on the exterior of your bread.
Uncover the bread, carefully remove the tray of hot water and bake your rolls on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 – 30 mins until the appearance is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before eating warm, or leave to fully cool to enjoy later.
Hope you enjoy the recipe, please feel free to leave constructive comments.
Lots of love.
AJ. X