Baking

Cheesy Pull Apart Bread

This versatile sharing bread makes the perfect party centrepiece, and can be served with a range of antipasti.

30 minutes, plus cooling and proving time prep, 30 minutes cook

Serves 8

Ingredients

250ml milk

50g unsalted butter, chopped

2 tsps dried active yeast

485g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

Pinch of sea salt

2 eggs, whisked

4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked

3 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and chopped

60g sundried tomatoes, chopped

60g black olives, pitted and chopped

120g goat’s cheese, crumbled

70g pine nuts, chopped

70g mixed herbs, such as chives, parsley and basil

60g Parmesan (or British alternative), grated

Method

Put the milk in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat, add the chopped butter and the sugar and stir until the butter has melted. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before adding the yeast.

Add the yeast, stir to combine and set aside for 5 minutes or until the surface is foamy.

Put the flour, salt, eggs and yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attached and beat for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth, or mix together to form a dough, and knead on a floured work surface for 10 minutes.

Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling film and set aside for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 32cm x 35cm rectangle. Sprinkle with the sundried tomatoes, olives, goat’s cheese and pine nuts, a third of the mixed herbs and half of the Parmesan.

Cut the dough in half lengthways. Starting from the longer edge, roll each strip to enclose. Cut each roll into 16 rounds. Arrange the rounds in a lightly greased cake mould with the centre removed.

Cover with cling film and set aside for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Remove the cling film, top with a little more oil and bake for 20–22 minutes or until golden-brown and cooked through. Top with the remaining herbs and Parmesan and cook for 5 minutes.

Serve in the centre of a board with antipasti.