This recipe accompanied my Viva Lewes Column on the 17th of November 2011
Konditor and Cook,
posh bakers extraordinaire, do roll-sized versions of this Northern Italian
classic. If you’re near the Borough Market this means lunch is sorted. Here is an
attempt at something similar. Use whatever bread dough you fancy but this one
is easy and works well. The whole thing takes about 5 1/2 hours all-in though
you can do the first rising overnight.
Makes
8 rolls
For
the Bread Dough
400g
strong white bread flour or Italian’00’ flour if you can get it.
225 ml
tepid water
1 level
teaspoon of easy blend yeast
1
teaspoon finely chopped oregano
1 egg
25ml
olive oil
Pinch of
salt
For the
filling
1 lump of
fresh buffalo mozzarella
200g
pitted green olives
1. Heat the inside of a mixing bowl with
boiling water. Mix the 225 ml of warm water and the yeast and then beat in 175g of flour to make a batter.
Cover with a towel and leave for 2-4 hours or overnight.
2. When you come back to it fold in the
oregano, egg (beaten first) and olive oil trying not to tear the stretchy
glutens too much. Then fold in the flour and salt in a similar way. Use more
flour if you need to but you’re trying to get a slightly sticky dough.
3. Give it three quick kneads over the
next half hour on a lightly oiled surface. (Sorry if you like kneading but the
idea that a lot of it is necessary to build glutens is a myth). Then cover and
leave for 30 mins.
4. While you’re waiting slice the
mozzarella thinly, and make sure you
have this, the olives and a small bowl of water handy. Grease a cookie sheet
and put that nearby too.
5. Put the dough on a lightly floured
board, give it a quick knead and then cut it into eight roughly equal sized
pieces. Roll one piece of dough into an approximately circular shape about 1/4
inch thick. Put a slice of the cheese in the middle of the dough circle and then
2-3 olives on top, then another slice of cheese on top of that. Then gather the
edges of dough around the cheese and olives to make a kind of sealed parcel
with the filling inside. Try and make sure it’s completely sealed. Wetting your
fingers at this point might help it stick. Then flip it over and put it on the
cookie tray with the round side up. Go through the same process with the
remaining bits of dough, making sure the finished rolls are spaced out on tray.
Once all the rolls are on the cookie tray cover them with a wet dish towel and
leave them in a warm place to rise for 90 minutes or till they’ve doubled in
size.
6. Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)
or gas 4. When they have risen take of the towel and bake the rolls for 12-15
minutes. You can brush them with beaten egg before cooking if you prefer. Leave
them to cool a bit before eating.
