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Cheesy garlic dough balls

Name: Cheesy garlic dough balls
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: mozzarella block 150g, cut into 1cm cubes; fast action yeast 2 tsp; olive oil; strong white bread flour 500g, plus more for dusting; fine salt 1tsp; unsalted butter 100g; garlic 2 cloves, crushed; flat-leaf parsley, rosemary and basil 1 tbsp, of each, finely chopped; garlic 1 clove, sliced; passata 200g; red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp; chilli flakes; basil leaves a few, chopped, plus a little more to serve

1 hour + proving
serves 6 as a snack
Easy

Give our tear-and-share gooey cheese-filled dough balls a go at home with step-by-step help from the olive test kitchen. They'd make a great starter for the kids or something to kick off a laid back dinner party

Published: October 19, 2016 at 2:01 pm

Ingredients

mozzarella block 150g, cut into 1cm cubes

PIZZA DOUGH

fast action yeast 2 tsp
olive oil
strong white bread flour 500g, plus more for dusting
fine salt 1tsp

HERB BUTTER

unsalted butter 100g
garlic 2 cloves, crushed
flat-leaf parsley, rosemary and basil 1 tbsp, of each, finely chopped

TOMATO DIP

garlic 1 clove, sliced
passata 200g
red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp
chilli flakes
basil leaves a few, chopped, plus a little more to serve

Method

Step 1

Mix the yeast, 2 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of sugar into 300ml warm water in a jug until the yeast has dissolved.
Step 2

Tip the flour and salt into a bowl, and pour over the liquid. Knead in the bowl until you form a rough ball, then knead on a floured worksurface until smooth and elastic. Put into an oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Step 3

Knock the dough back into the bowl with your hands, and divide into 18 balls (weigh them to make them identical, if you like).
Step 4

Roll each piece into a smooth ball, pushing a cube of mozzarella into the centre of each. Pinch the dough to seal in the cheese.
Step 5

Put the dough balls into an oiled ovenproof frying pan or baking dish (approx. 25cm diameter) leaving a small gap in between each to allow for proving. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave again for 30 minutes.
Step 6

Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. To make the herb butter, melt the butter then add the crushed garlic and herbs off the heat. Season well.
Step 7

For the tomato dip, fry the sliced garlic in a drizzle of olive oil for a minute, then tip in the passata, vinegar, and a pinch of chilli flakes and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until saucy, then stir in the chopped basil and cool.
Step 8

Uncover the dough and brush the dough balls with ²/3 of the garlic butter. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and puffed.
Step 9

Brush with the remaining butter and leave to cool for a few minutes. Serve with the tomato dip scattered with a few basil leaves, more chilli and a drizzle of olive oil.