Tomato, Basil and Feta Rolls

, from Issue #53. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Tomato, Basil and Feta Rolls

Take your pizza dough and favourite toppings and transform them into these tender, flavour-packed rolls.

INGREDIENTS

Dough
2¼ cups high grade flour
1½ teaspoons instant dried yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon olive oil

Filling
 cup pesto, any flavour (I used an all’arrabbiata pesto with chilli)
100 grams streaky bacon or salami, sliced ½ cm strips
100 grams soft feta, crumbled
large handful basil leaves
12 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.

Combine the wet ingredients in a jug and mix into the flour to make a soft but not sticky dough. Add a little more water or flour if needed. Turn onto a lightly floured bench and knead gently for 3 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place in a large lightly oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a draught free place for 1½ - 2 hours to double in size.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

To assemble and cook: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and roll out to a 40 cm x 30 cm rectangle.

Spread the pesto over the dough then layer up with the bacon/salami, feta, basil and half each of the tomatoes and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Starting from the long side, roll up the dough away from you to make a long log, tucking it under as you roll.

Using a sharp knife, cut into 10 even pieces and place cut side up on a large tray lined with baking paper, spacing them 4 cm apart. Top with the remaining tomatoes, tucking them into the crevices and then scatter over the remaining Parmesan.

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden and puffed and turning the rolls on the tray for even browning. Brush with olive oil while hot. Best eaten warm. Makes 10 rolls 

Menu: Serve with a Shaved Raw Salad and Tomato, Roast Pork with Mixed Capsicums and Borlotti BeansArtichoke, Salami and Ricotta Lasagna and Walnut and Chocolate Ganache Biscuits to finish.