Leftover Bolly Buns
Soft yoghurt dough, a spoonful of cold bolognese, a cube of mozzarella. A fabulous lunchbox addition, and the cheese is so stretchy straight from the oven.
Serves: 12 buns
Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting
Cook time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the yoghurt dough
2 cups self-raising flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
a big pinch of salt
1 cup Greek style yoghurt
For the filling and finishing
chilled leftover bolognese
mozzarella, cut into 1.5cm cubes
olive oil, for drizzling
poppy seeds
METHOD
Stir the flour, olive oil, salt and yoghurt in a stainless steel bowl until it has started to combine.
Tip onto the bench and knead until it all comes together, about 10 minutes of gentle kneading.
Put the bowl directly on top of the dough and let it rest on the bench for half an hour.
Come back and knead it once again. It will be softened and relaxed and will combine really well.
Preheat the oven to 200C and oil a loaf tin or baking tray.
Divide the dough into 50g pieces. This makes about 12.
Roll each piece out until it is flat, about 5mm thick and as round as possible.
Place a big spoon of chilled bolognese into the centre and add a cube of mozzarella.
Working with the round of dough still on the bench, pinch opposite sides of the circle and bring them together over the top, and pinch them together. Continue pinching around, bringing opposite sides of the circle together in the middle, then quickly pinch so the dough is combined.
Place the buns into the oiled tin as you make them, covered gently with a tea towel so they stay moist.
Drizzle lightly with olive oil and add a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to make sure you get even cooking.
Pull them from the oven when they are dark brown and golden. The sides where they are touching will still be pale, but the dough should be cooked.
Allow them to cool to touch and eat one straight away, because they're so delicious and the cheese is so stretchy. Otherwise allow them to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container in the fridge.
HINTS
Because of the stretchy nature of this dough, unlike when you are filling a wonton, there is a lot more flexibility and stretch available to you. Just make sure you have pinched the top together well.
Try to avoid any of the oil from the bolognese at the pinching point, as this will force the dough to resist gluing to itself. Chilled bolognese is much easier to work with than warm.
50g per bun is the number. I did 40g and it was tight - the extra 10g gives you room to actually close them.
MAKE AHEAD
I thoroughly recommend making these ahead for the week. Cool to room temperature, then into an airtight container in the fridge. They're a fabulous lunchbox addition.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 12 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 12700kJ (3040 calories)
Protein: 110g
Fat: 129g
Saturated fat: 50g
Carbohydrates: 250g
Sugars: 20g
Fibre: 10g
Sodium: 1800mg
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.