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Crusty cheese and chive pull apart loaf - simple and delicious

13/3/2017

40 Comments

 
Cheese and chive pull apart loaf by Liz Posmyk
There was a fascinating segment on Words and Music on BBC Radio 3 this week, in which the conversation focused around the use of hands in our everyday lives. The speakers touched on the topic of working with one's hands for both practical and creative purposes.

My hands have recently been busy wielding secateurs in the garden, as I've cut back the sword-shaped leaves on massive clumps of New Zealand flax. I have also used them to grasp a pen and write notes and shopping lists. I have held the hand of my beloved Peter, and waved goodbye to my darling son as I dropped him back at his home after a lunch catch up. Among my favourite activities, I used my hands to make dough; the kneading and rolling of which I found to be most pleasurable.

CRUSTY CHEESE AND CHIVE PULL APART  LOAF
500g strong baker's flour
2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

To fill:
1 tablespoon (20 mls) unsalted butter, softened (for brushing)
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
12 sprigs fresh chives, finely chopped
100g cheddar cheese, shredded
extra shredded cheese, to sprinkle over before baking

Grease a deep, heavy-based loaf tin (21 x 10. 5 x 6. 5 cm) and set it aside.

Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, sea salt, water and oil together in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until it forms a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it feels smooth and elastic under your hands. (Should the dough feel sticky, dust lightly with a little extra flour. If it's a little dry, add a teaspoon or so extra lukewarm water).

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm corner of the kitchen, until it rises nicely, and doubles in size. Meanwhile, Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C. 

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board. Knock down the dough with your fist, knead it briefly, and then roll it out to a neat rectangular shape, about 1cm in thickness. Brush the dough with the softened butter, and then sprinkle over the garlic, chives and shredded cheese.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into long strips of even-sized widths. Pile the strips on top of one another (see my images below). Now, cut through the pile of long strips into smaller pieces, perhaps around 8cm in length. It doesn't matter if they are a little uneven. Place these strips, cut-side down into the prepared loaf tin (see my images below), squashing some in around the edges and sides of the tin.

Cover with a clean tea towel and place the tin in a warm corner, until it rises again, around 20 minutes or so. Finally, brush the loaf with any remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the extra grated cheese. Then, pop the tin into the oven and bake the loaf for 30 minutes until it's golden brown and crusty.

Remove the tin from the oven and allow the loaf to cool slightly, before pulling it apart and devouring it! Serves 6-8. 

Strong baker's flour and dried yeast - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Rolling out the dough  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Sprinkle with cheese and chives -  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Cut the dough into strips  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Layer the strips onto each other  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Stuff the strips sideways into the prepared loaf tin  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Sprinkle more cheese over the top  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Bake the bread  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Allow the loaf to cool slightly  - Liz Posmyk Good Things
Pull it apart and enjoy!  - Liz Posmyk Good Things

It's your turn now, dear readers. What good things have you created with your hands lately? 
40 Comments
Kellie@foodtoglow link
13/3/2017 09:22:07 am

Liz, this looks exceedingly delicious. I love the savoury layers too. Layers always taste better. 😊😊

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:15:36 am

Thank you, Kellie xx

Reply
sallyh link
13/3/2017 09:48:29 am

Looks amazing, Liz! Made my mouth water just looking at it.

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:15:57 am

Sally, thanks so much xx

Reply
Mandy link
13/3/2017 10:04:07 am

Oh dear, this bread would be a problem with Pete and I. We would want to finish the whole thing in one sitting. :-D
Have a beautiful day Lizzy.
:-) Mandy xo

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:16:23 am

Hi Mandy, it's a little like that, which is why I don't make it so often xx

Reply
Laura | Tutti Dolci link
13/3/2017 12:46:24 pm

Such a gorgeous pull apart loaf - this looks simply divine! :)

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:16:42 am

Laura, thanks so much!

Reply
John / Kitchen Riffs link
13/3/2017 02:28:16 pm

Fun post! I was just thinking about how people use their hands the other day -- I was getting a crown replaced, and was watching my dentist hold the new crown in one hand while she used a grinder with the other to whittle down a spot that was a bit high. Anyway, great looking dish -- love bready things like this.

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:17:05 am

Ouchies, John! Thanks for sharing x

Reply
Mackay Sherry link
13/3/2017 03:12:57 pm

I made chicken pie. I folded up laundry. I wrote another blog post. I watered the garden. All in all my hands and I did useful things:). Love your loaf here liz.

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:17:23 am

Busy Sherry, thanks for stopping by xx

Reply
Gary Lum link
13/3/2017 04:30:41 pm

I never knew that's how pull apart bread was made. Now it all makes sense.

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:17:38 am

It's good stuff, huh!

Reply
Tania|My Kitchen Stories link
13/3/2017 04:39:02 pm

Oh my goodness Lizzy that looks so good

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:17:59 am

Tania, thanks so much! x

Reply
Amanda link
13/3/2017 06:51:25 pm

Oh my, that looks so very delicious! Lovely photos too, Liz!

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:18:24 am

Thanks so much, Amanda, I had a little spare time recently. A rare thing xx

Reply
Glenda link
13/3/2017 07:26:24 pm

Your loaf looks delicious, Liz

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:18:39 am

Thank you, lovely Glenda x

Reply
Chris Riley link
13/3/2017 09:48:32 pm

Looks amazing. Drooling.....

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:18:58 am

Chris, thank you!

Reply
Tandy I Lavender and Lime link
13/3/2017 11:59:50 pm

I must try this folding technique. My hands have been used mainly to recover Scarlett's ball from under the kitchen counter.

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:19:17 am

Ha! That ball. : )

Reply
Simone Mason
14/3/2017 12:48:47 am

Oh, Lizzy! Wow. That looks delish!

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:19:37 am

Thank you, Simone X

Reply
Bob Bennett
14/3/2017 12:49:04 am

Put me down for two loaves please Lizzie.

Reply
Peter
14/3/2017 12:50:46 am

I love holding your hand. And this loaf was really yummy. If I let you hold my hand all the time, will you bake it again!?

Reply
Eha
14/3/2017 12:59:36 am

Peter - c'mon: rather hard for her to bake and us to enjoy if you have all this 'hand-holdedness' ongoing . . . . may we have both, please, beautiful guy???

Reply
Peter
16/3/2017 12:20:22 am

Eha ; D

Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:20:01 am

You bet, but I need my hands to bake this! xxx

Reply
Mary Cummings
14/3/2017 01:11:03 am

Now you're talking!

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:20:42 am

It's a good un!

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
14/3/2017 05:48:37 pm

This looks great Lizzy. I've made a lemon cream cheese version of this for a sweet one and we really liked how much filling there was.

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:21:02 am

Sounds divine, Lorraine!

Reply
mae link
15/3/2017 08:26:39 am

I can almost taste that loaf... Mmmm!

Driving requires intensive use of one's hands. Turning the ignition key, steering, using the windshield wiper and heat or a/c controls, pushing the radio buttons, and when you get home, finding the button that opens the garage...

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:21:25 am

Aha, so you've been doing lots of driving!

Reply
David link
15/3/2017 09:13:45 am

What a thing of beauty! The photo illustrations are really helpful!

Reply
Lizzy
16/3/2017 12:22:01 am

David, thank you. I had hoped that would be the case. I don't always get time for the step-by-step photos these days. Life's too short, you know xx

Reply
Ben C
16/3/2017 12:22:28 am

What David said.

Reply

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


Photos used under Creative Commons from alantankenghoe, riptheskull, David Jackmanson, Amani Hasan, SuntanMidori, oropeza, Annie Mole, Vegan Feast Catering, avlxyz, jeffreyw, mockstar, jenly, Syeefa Jay, pizzodisevo (therapy - terapia - Therapie), ginnerobot, cliff1066™, Jim, the Photographer
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