Vegetarian Stuffed Pizza Loaf

Last week I was scanning through a few magazines while waiting at the clinic to see the doctor. One of the pictures caught my attention which had the recipe for stuffed bread with beef mince, sausages and cheese. It really looked so enticing that I had to give it a try but I don’t eat beef, so had to make my own version of it. So here is my adaptation of the stuffed pizza loaf, which is what I decided to call it. I am giving the whole method starting from making the dough, the filling and the presentation. In the excitement of getting the dough and filling prepared, the creative side of me had to do something artistic with the look of the loaf, so I chose the different and perfect looking braid and pin wheel styles to give an edge to my taste… Let’s get started…

Ingredients for the dough:

• 3 eggs
• 7 gms dry yeast ( 1 sachet)
• ¾ cup of warm water
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup oil
• Black Sesame seeds for garnish

Ingredients for filling:       

• 1 cup Broccoli, finely chopped
• ¼ cup Red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup Green bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 4 rings pineapple, diced(I used from tin you can even use fresh)
• 2 tbsp char grilled capsicum strips (optional)
• 1 cup cheese of your choice (my kids prefer tasty cheddar. You can use any.)
• 3 cloves garlic, grounded
• 10-12 baby spinach leaves, snipped in 2
• 6 -8 black olives, thin slices
• 5 tbsp tomato sauce
• 5 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 ½ tsp salt.
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Method:

For the dough:

• Whisk 2 eggs and add sugar, oil and salt and keep it aside.
• To activate yeast add yeast to warm.
• Take another dish, add all purpose and wheat flours and blend well. Make a well in the core of the dry flours, and pour egg mix and activated yeast. Knead well into dough.
• Lightly flour the bench top and transfer the dough on it and knead until it is smooth and soft. To check if the dough is in right consistency, gently press the dough with two fingers it ought to spring back. (Note: you may require some more flour while kneading it.)
• Grease a dish and transfer the dough in it and cover with a tea towel or cling wrap. Let it rest for 60 minutes, I typically keep the dough in the oven as its warm there.(Please note the oven was not preheated)
• After an hour take the dough, which should have doubled in size by now.

For the filling:

• In a dish add broccoli, red/green capsicum, onions, capsicum strips, baby spinach, pineapple, olives, cheese(if you like it more cheesy then don’t add cheese at this stage), Dijon mustard and salt, mix it well and put aside.
• In a little bowl blend tomato sauce, tomato paste and ground garlic.
• Break an egg in another dish and whisk it gently.

Assembling the bread:

• Preheat the oven at 220° C. Then line two baking trays with baking paper.
• Divide the dough in half, and place each half on a baking sheet (if the dough is sticky, flour it daintily).
• Please note as I have used two separate procedures to make my bread to make it more fun and intriguing for children; you can use any approach you like.
• Stretch the dough and using a rolling pin (very light handed) roll the dough to make a rectangle.
• Keep rolling till you get a slender (not very thin) and steady rectangle approx 15 X 12 inches

Technique 1:

• I used a pizza cutter; however you can even use a sharp blade or scissors to make cuts on the dough of even width, wide down the side like a feather.(see picture for reference)

• Now apply the tomato sauce paste in the middle. Over that put the filling mixture spreading it evenly. (Note: If you did not add the cheese before, you can spread it over the filling same way as we do it to make a pizza. You can put as much or as little cheese you like)
• Fold the highest point of the dough over the highest point of the filling, pressing the dough down on the filling in braiding pattern. .
• Now simply take after your instincts and continue folding the corners.
• Once you are done with the braiding, brush the loaf with beaten egg, and sprinkle black sesame seeds.

Bake for 20 minutes, a brilliant golden brown crust should be formed.

Technique 2:

• After rolling the dough in a rectangle (as in technique 1) apply the tomato paste on it evenly.
• Top it up with the mixture and add cheese (if you have not included the cheese in the previously, add it now. If you had noticed that for the first technique I blended the cheese in the mixture and for the second one I spread it over the mixture, so its matter of your choice)

• Now Start rolling the rectangular dough from one corner and when u about to reach the other corner, apply egg mixture to the corner for it to sticks well.
• Keep the roll in the fridge, covered (wrap it with cling or foil) for about 60 minutes for it to sit well and make it simple for cutting.

• Using a sharp blade cut the roll in equivalent width spirals and set them on the baking sheet.
• Then brush the piece with beaten egg, and sprinkle black sesame seeds.

Bake for 20 minutes, a brilliant golden crust to be obtained.

You can serve it hot once, out of the oven or keep it in refrigerator and reheat it in micro wave before serving…