Light & soft, tasty & piquant* and very inviting, this bread is perfect to share with family, friends and guests. (* I’ve been wanting to use this word for ages.)
Makes: 15 – 16 pieces
Time: 30 min. initial “hands-on”, 60 – 90 min. first prove, 15 – 20 min. second “hands on”, 30 – 45 min. second prove, 30 – 40 min. baking. NB Proving times will vary according to the temperature in your kitchen. With a stand mixer the “hands on” time will be reduced a little.
Level: A short step up from “easy”
Need: A large baking sheet or tin + parchment. A stand mixer is useful, but not essential. Likewise, a baking stone is good, but also not essential.
Ingredients
- 500g/16oz strong white flour
- 7g sachet of instant dried yeast
- 10g/¼oz fine salt
- 10g/¼oz caster sugar
- 50ml/1¾fl oz olive oil
- 275ml/9½fl oz – 300ml/10fl oz tepid water
- 100g/3½oz – 125g/4½oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 30g/1oz parmesan or cheddar or other hard cheese, crumbled
- 30g/1oz – 50g/1¾oz cream cheese or mascarpone
- “A good sprinkling” of dried herbs of choice (e.g. oregano)
- “A scattering” of sun dried tomatoes (minus the oil if possible) – cut into pieces
- An egg
Method
1. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir in the yeast, salt and sugar. Line the baking sheet with parchment. (NB If you have a baking stone then you can do without the baking sheet. See below)
2. Make a well in the centre and mix in the olive oil and most of the water. Mix to form a soft dough, adding more water as/if required.
3. Knead the dough (15 – 18 min. by hand; 7 – 10 using the dough hook) Cover and leave to rise in a warmish area free of draughts until doubled in size, maybe 60 – 90 min.
4. Meanwhile mix the cheeses, herbs & sun dried tomatoes and set aside.
5. Gently knock back (knead/fold) the risen dough and, on a floured surface, gently push or roll it out to a rectangle about 25cm x 35cm. Sprinkle over the cheese mixture evenly going right up to the edges.
6. Tightly roll the long edge to form a “sausage” shape. Cut it into about 15 – 16 pieces.
7. Place these in a pattern on the lined baking sheet, cut side up. Leave a small gap between each piece so that they can “grow together” during the second prove. (If you will be using a baking stone in the oven then simply build your pattern on a piece of parchment placed on an upside down baking tray. When ready to bake, just slide the parchment onto the hot baking stone.)
8. Cover again and leave for about 30 – 40 minutes until they have risen again. During this time turn the oven on to 180°C / fan 160°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Lightly beat an egg.
9. Brush the tops with beaten egg and bake for 40 – 50 min – until risen & golden. Cover with foil part way through if they’re going very dark. Cool on a wire rack.
I wish you every success with your bread making. I hope you have a go at this one and enjoy making and eating it. If you want to see more of my bread recipes click this link.
Here are some quite different breads that you might want to try:
Ridiculously easy No-knead bread
Blueberry and Cinnamon English Muffins
Also, please have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury. If you’d like to comment or ask a question please do, via the contact page.
Retired Bloke on Food n stuff 