Cheesy garlic dough balls

Name: Cheesy garlic dough balls
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 6 as a snack
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 150g mozzarella block, cut into 1cm cubes; 2 tsp fast action yeast; 2 tbsp olive oil; 500g strong white bread flour, plus more for dusting; 1 tsp fine salt; 100g unsalted butter; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 tbsp each of flat-leaf parsley, rosemary and basil, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, sliced; 200g passata; ½ tsp red wine vinegar; pinch chilli flakes; a few basil leaves, chopped, plus a little more to serve

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time1 hr
- + proving
Easy
Serves 6 as a snack

Ingredients

150g mozzarella block, cut into 1cm cubes

PIZZA DOUGH

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

HERB BUTTER

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

TOMATO DIP

1 clove garlic, sliced
200g passata
½ tsp red wine vinegar
pinch chilli flakes
a few basil leaves, 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.