Tear-and-Share Bread

I was going to pick up a “tear-and-share” bread from the supermarket on my way home tonight but I wasn’t feeling that great and really couldn’t be bothered to brave the hoards so I came straight home instead.  However, on my way home I realised, I could make tear-and-share bread!  I could also make tear-and-share bread better! I always feel that, great as it is, the supermarket stuff can be rather dry, so mine is delicious and moist, I also added mozzerella cheese to it as well to give it even more deliciousness.  I am happy to say that something I invented in the car on the way between the station and home turned out perfectly.  Even better, I managed to make bread in the time between getting home and dinner, an hour and 3/4, all in all I’d call this bread a triumph!  My photo’s, however, are not.  I apologise for the shoddy photography but I was starving hungry and only just remembered to take pictures at all!

Makes 1 4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ loaf (My loaf tin is an odd size I think, just a large loaf tin will be fine.)

300g strong white bread flour
1 tsp fast action yeast
1 tsp garlic salt (or salt and garlic granules)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
175ml warm water
75/100g butter, melted*
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ball mozzerella
25g grated cheddar

– In a large bowl mix together your flour, yeast and salt. 
– Make a well in the centre and add the oil and water. 
– Mix until it forms a dough. 
– Turn out onto a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. 
– Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough in it, cover it and leave to rise in a warm/hot place for 30-45 minutes until doubled in size (I put mine in front of the fire.  Leave the dough for longer at a lower temperature if you can but this recipe is built for speed, not subtle flavouring.)
– Melt together your butter and garlic in a small bowl. 
– Chop the mozzerella into small chunks.
– Prepare your loaf tin and heat the oven to gas mark 7.  (I lined my loaf tin with a paper liner as it has a few rust spots and I was in a hurry, it’s probably less messy if you do but if you don’t then the world won’t end.)
– Turn out and lightly knead the dough for a minute then pinch small, walnut sized chunks of dough off and roll them into balls. 
– Drop a few (half a dozen or so) balls into the butter then fish them out with a spoon put them into the loaf tin to form a loose layer. 
– Once you have a rough layer over the bottom of the tin sprinkle over half the mozzerella  and grate over half the cheese. 
– Continue to ball up, dip and place your dough balls in the tin until you have a second layer. 
– Sprinkle over the remaining mozzerella and grate over the rest of the cheese. 
– Drizzle over any remaining butter. 
– Leave to rest in a warm/hot place for 10-20 minutes. 
– Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  It will rise up, go brown on the tips and bubble away nicely. 
– Serve fresh from the oven but beware of the hot butter that will drip everywhere!

* I used 100g butter but when I took it out of the tin butter went all over the place I would say use 75g.  It’ll still be moist but you might not get melted butter all over the floor!

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