Cheese and pesto swirls
Makes: 12
Prep time: 35 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Kris Kirkham
Cheese and pesto swirls
Swirled with deliciously herby pesto and oozing with melted cheese, these tear-and-share rolls use an easy four-ingredient focaccia-style dough as the base. For the ultimate melted-cheese pull, it’s worth making sure grated mozzarella is in the mix. The swirls are lovely warm from the oven or packed into a picnic.
Makes: 12
Prep time: 35 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
226Kcal
Fat
12gr
Saturates
3gr
Carbs
24gr
Sugars
0gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
6gr
Salt
0.4gr
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Ingredients
- 350g strong white bread flour, plus extra to dust
- 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease
- 150g grated four cheese mix*, or cheese of your choice
- 1 x 150g pot fresh green pesto*
- 1 egg yolk
Step by step
To store
Best on the day of baking but leftovers can be wrapped loosely in kitchen foil and gently reheated in the oven the next day.
- Put the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Gradually mix in 210ml lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bring together with your hands to a craggy dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or for 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook).
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
-
Briefly knead the dough to knock it back then divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to a 25 x 20cm rectangle. Spread with half the pesto and scatter over half the grated cheese. Roll up from one of the long sides into a long sausage shape. Cut the dough into 6 equal swirls. Repeat with the remaining dough, pesto and cheese.Tip*Use vegetarian pesto and cheese if required.
- Place on a large, lined baking tray, cut-side up and almost touching. Make sure the open end of each roll is tucked in towards the centre to avoid them unravelling during baking.
- Loosely cover the cheese and pesto swirls with a clean dry tea towel or oiled clingfilm and set aside to prove for 20-30 minutes until puffed up. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.
- Beat the egg yolk with 1⁄2 tablespoon water. Uncover the swirls and lightly brush the tops and exposed sides with the egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy warm or leave to cool completely before serving.
