Trees dressed up. Christmas lights decorating every corner of the city. Frank Sinatra singing “I’ll be home for Christmas” like only he can. The fireplace lit warming rooms and lighting up the soul. The smell of Garland bread baking in the oven. Yes, that time of year has finally arrived; when you look out of the window in the hope of seeing the first snowflakes fall .That most exciting time of the year. That which we call Christmas.
Christmas also means recipes to cherish in your heart, the ones that, just by breathing in their aroma, you can already taste the joy of family holidays. And stuffed bread is undoubtedly one of them. A Christmas take on the pan brioche cake that we commonly call savory Danube bread, this stuffed Garland bread will bring a smile of contentment to your face at the first bite.
Christmas is many things. But if I had to choose just one word to describe it, my favourite would be conviviality.
It’s the way that Christmas brings people together around a table to share food that I love to prepare savory Garland bread as a Christmas starter. In fact, as well as looking wonderful placed at the centre of the table, it can also be enjoyed in a more informal and relaxed way.
Stuffed Garland bread is very simple and quick to prepare but no less delicious. A very soft dough, a stringy and tasty filling, a starter that will make both young and old happy. In short, you just have to try it!
The recipe is waiting for you below.
Stuffed Garland bread alla pizzaiola: the recipe
INGREDIENTS (serves 8)
- 450 gr flour type 00
- 1 sachet of baking powder for desserts
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 egg
- 60 gr of melted butter
- 200 ml of milk
- mozzarellafiordilatte cheese
- tomato passata
- basil, oregano and marjoram as desired
- extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper as desired
METHOD
- Mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, salt, previously beaten egg, melted butter and milk.
- If you don’t have a food processor to do the work for you, knead the mixture quickly by hand until you get a smooth, even dough (a few minutes should suffice).
- Divide the dough into portions of about 30 gr each. Flatten them out and create your filling by placing a teaspoon of passata, a pinch of salt and basil, a cube of mozzarella and a few drops of oil in the middle. Close the dough into balls so that the filling remains in the centre.
- Arrange the stuffed rolls around a circular mould (I recommend a small pasta bowl), forming two rows. Your Garland bread is now ready to be baked!
- Brush the surface with olive oil and sprinkle with your favourite herbs.
- Place in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes.
- Bake, let cool and enjoy!
Are you in the mood for some Christmas food? Then you can’t miss out on Christmas gingerbread cookies, perfect as gifts!
Credits immagini: Sara Cartelli
