Cheese-Filled Bread

CHEESE-FILLED BREAD

Ingredients for 20 small portions (or 10 large ones):

For the bread dough:
2 pots of natural yoghurt (250 g)
1 tablespoon of cream
1 level teaspoon of baking powder
1 heaped teaspoon of salt
1 egg
400g flour + 4 tablespoons for working and dusting the work surface
1 tablespoon olive oil
30g butter

Cheese filling:
250g crumbled feta cheese
100g grated Emmental
100g grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Prepare the bread dough:
In a large bowl, combine the yoghurts, cream and yeast and beat with a whisk. Add the egg and salt to the dough preparation. Mix well.
Add the flour. Start mixing with a spoon and then knead with your hands for five minutes, so that the dough is smooth, homogeneous and still a little sticky.
Add the olive oil and knead for a few more minutes to incorporate it. The dough will not stick at first, but as soon as it starts to stick to your hands, stop kneading.
Wrap the dough in cling film. Let it stand for 10 minutes while you prepare the cheese filling.

Prepare the cheese filling:
Mix the cheeses by hand, and then incorporate the egg. Mix well. You will obtain a compact mixture.
Divide the mixture into 20 apricot-sized balls (or 10 larger pieces). Set them aside.

To Finish
Lay the dough on a floured work surface and roll it in the flour, shaping it into a ball.
Divide it into 20 portions of 30-40 grams (or 10 of 60-80 grams). Lay the portions out with the help of flour and cover them with cling film (to prevent the surface from drying out).
Take a ball, place it on a floured work surface and flatten it slightly (6-7 centimetres in diameter). Place a ball of cheese on top.
Fold the dough over the cheese, enclosing it inside. Pinch the edges of the pastry with your fingers to prevent the cheese from escaping.
Flour the ball and place it on a flat surface. Flatten it with your hands (without a rolling pin) to give each one a diameter of 15 cm. It is important to flour the work surface often to avoid puncturing the outside of the parcel.
Place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Repeat these operations for the other balls.

Heat the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat before adding the first parcel. Turn it over when the side that is in contact with the pan is golden brown. Rub this first side with a piece of cold butter.
Cook the second side. When golden brown, place it on a serving plate, also rubbing the second side with cold butter.
The parcel is now ready, repeat the operation for the other balls of dough.
They can be served as an aperitif, as an accompaniment, but also as a stand-alone dish.
The dough and filling can also be prepared in advance and placed in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before making the bread parcels and proceed as described above.

(Liana Marabini)