Cheese and Zucchini Twists

By Bread and Butter Project

Cheese and Zucchini Twists

Cheese and Zucchini Twists. It is almost impossible to resist eating a handful of these cheesy zucchini twists as they slide out of the oven. 

It is almost impossible to resist eating a handful of these as they slide out of the oven. This recipe is more about a technique than another dough-making exercise. When you have mastered the technique described below, you will be able to create endless variations. A chorizo and manchego cheese combination works well, as does quince and blue cheese.

Makes 14 twists

700 g organic bakers flour

13 g salt

375 g water

75 g olive oil

15 g fresh yeast

100 g zucchini, grated and strained

100 g grated parmesan

Step 1:

Weigh the flour and salt into a large bowl and mix them together. In another bowl, weigh the 37ºC water (using your body temperature to gauge), olive oil and yeast, whisk together and leave for 5 minutes.

Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients and mix together with one hand. Once the dough starts to form and its consistency is quite even, knead the dough gently in the bowl for 30 seconds; that is, bring the outer portion of the dough to the middle and work it down through the middle.

Rotate the bowl as you do this so that you work the entire dough piece. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place (25ºC) for 45 minutes.

Step 2:

Wet one hand and, as you rotate the bowl with the other hand, bring the outer portion of the dough to the middle and work it into the middle, much as you did in the initial kneading in step 1. When you have rotated the bowl twice, you have finished this step. Dampen the tea towel again and replace the covered bowl in its resting spot. Leave for 45 minutes.

Step 3:

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, stretch it out to a rectangular shape about 2 cm thick. Sprinkle the grated zucchini over two-thirds of the dough lengthways, then do the same with the parmesan.

zucchini twist steps-24

Fold the third that you did not cover two-thirds the way across lengthways. Then fold the remaining third over on top to create the seam. Turn the dough so that the seam is facing away from you and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Using a divider, cut 1.5 cm wide strips from the dough. Take 1 strip and, while pinching both ends, twist it 3 or 4 times and then place it on a lined baking tray. Repeat this action for all the strips. Leave the twists in a warm place (25ºC) for 30–40 minutes.

When the twists have proved (if you press the surface of the dough with your finger and the indent remains in the surface of the dough after springing back a little), they are ready for the oven.

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200ºC.

When the twists are ready to bake, place the tray in the oven and steam the oven for 6 seconds, using a spray bottle. Reduce the temperature to 180ºC and bake for 15 minutes, turning the tray after 10 minutes. When ready, the twists will be golden brown.

Benchtop mixer option

Place all the ingredients in the bowl and mix on low speed for 5 minutes, then on high speed for a further 4 minutes. Take out a small ball of dough (100 g) and stretch it over your fingers. If the dough stretches without tearing and is translucent, it is ready; if not, you will need to mix the dough on high speed for a further 2 minutes.

Place the completed dough in an oiled container with a lid and leave at room temperature (20–25ºC) for 1 hour. Open the lid and turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Go to step 3 (above) and follow the instructions from there.

Recipe from The Bread and Butter Project by Paul Allam and David McGuinnes (Pan Macmillan). RRP AU $39.99

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Print Recipe

BECOME A MiNDFOOD SUBSCRIBER TODAY

Let us keep you up to date with our weekly MiNDFOOD e-newsletters which include the weekly menu plan, health and news updates or tempt your taste buds with the MiNDFOOD Daily Recipe. 

Member Login