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Cheese and Pesto Swirls

Deborah
Lovely soft bread on the inside and the mixture of melted cheeses plus the pesto is just a perfect flavour combination.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Proving time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 swirls

Ingredients
  

  • 350g strong white bread flour plus extra to dust
  • 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 210ml lukewarm water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil plus extra to grease
  • 150g grated four cheese mix or cheese of your choice (see Notes)
  • 150g fresh green pesto (see Notes)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 0.5 tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Put the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Gradually mix in 210ml lukewarm water and the 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Bring together with your hands into a rough dough.   Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or for 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook).
  • Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
  • Briefly knead the dough to knock it back then divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to a 25cm x 20cm rectangle.   Spread with half the pesto and scatter over half the grated cheese.   Roll up from on the long sides into a long sausage shape.   Cut the dough into 6 equal swirls.   Repeat with the remaining dough, pesto and cheese.
  • Place on a large, lined baking tray, cut-side up and almost touching. Make sure the open end of each roll is tucked towards the centre to avoid them unravelling during baking.
  • Loosely cover the cheese and pesto swirls with a clean dry tea towel or oiled cling film and set aside to prove for 20 to 30 minutes until puffed up. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
  • Beat the egg yok with 0.5 tbsp water. Uncover the swirls and lightly brush the tops and exposed sides with the egg wash.   Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.   Enjoy warm or leave to cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Storage – the swirls are best to be eaten on the day of baking, however, leftovers can be wrapped loosely in kitchen foil and gently reheated in the oven the next day.
  • Cheeses – make sure there’s grated mozzarella in the cheese mix to get that ultimate melted cheese pull!
  • Vegetarian – use vegetarian pesto and cheese, if required.
  • This cheese and pesto swirls recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

 

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Keyword Bread, focaccia dough, picnic food, tear and share, vegetarian