Pesto and Mozzarella Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 g wholemeal flour or malted wholegrain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7 g dried instant yeast

• 1 quantity of green or red pesto, or ½ quantities of each
• 250 g block of mozzarella, coarsely grated beaten egg, for brushing

1. Mix the flour and yeast in a large bowl, and sprinkle over a teaspoon of salt. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then gradually work in about 300 ml of tepid water to make a fairly soft, sticky dough. You may need more or less water. Turn the bread dough out on to a floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes until the dough is very smooth and elastic.
2. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with cling film or a damp tea towel. Leave it somewhere warm to prove and double in size. This will take 1–3 hours. When the dough is well risen, knock it back to get rid of some of the air, then turn it out again on to a floured work surface. Roll and shape it into a rectangle about 40 x 30 cm. It will take a while before the dough stops springing back, but persevere.
3. Spread the pesto over the dough if you want to use both types, cover one half with the green and the other half with the red. Keep back about 50 g of the mozzarella and sprinkle the rest over the pesto. Roll up the dough from one of the longer sides into a sausage shape.
4. Cut the dough into 12 evenly sized rolls. Line a baking tin with baking paper and arrange the rolls swirl-side up, tucking the outside end of the rolls under slightly. Cover the rolls with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave them to prove for another 30 minutes or so until well risen and springy again. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
5. Brush the dough with beaten egg and sprinkle over the remaining grated mozzarella. Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes. Lift the rolls all together, still on their baking paper, off the tin and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.