Bread Spiral with Caramelised Onion and Cheese

To make the dough, place the flour and instant dried yeast in a bowl and whisk briefly to combine. Pour in the olive oil and about 180ml of the water; mix with a spoon to combine, and then add the remaining 20 ml of water.

Bring the dough together with your hands, adding a bit more tepid water if needed. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle on the salt and knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. It should not be sticky.

Place in a clean bowl and cover with an upturned plate or a damp cloth. Rest in a warm draught-free spot in the kitchen (or in the oven with the light turned on) for at least an hour or until doubled in size.

While the dough is resting, make the filling. Peel the onions and slice finely with a mandolin. Cut the onion slices in half. Place the sliced onions in a large frypan with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook at medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and are just starting to turn golden. Add the brown sugar and the vinegars. Stir to combine then cook for a further 8 or so minutes, until the mixture is sticky, stirring often to make sure the onions do not stick to the base of the pan. Set aside to cool completely, then divide into two equal portions. Crumble the cheese with your fingers and divide into two equal portions.

Line the base of a 23-25cm cake tin. Divide the dough in two. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out one half of the dough into a rectangle measuring about 55 cm x 18 cm. Evenly scatter on half the caramelised onions and half the crumbled cheese, leaving a border of 2 cm around the perimeter of the dough rectangle. Sprinkle on ¼ tsp dried thyme. Roll the rectangle up along the long edge so that the dough forms a long sausage around the filling. Gently seal the ends by pressing them together and folding them onto themselves. Shape into a spiral and carefully lift into the centre of the prepared cake tin. Repeat with the second piece of dough, then carefully lift the sausage shape into the cake tin and shape it so it circles the other spiral. Cover the tin with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm draught-free spot in the kitchen (or the oven with the light turned on) for an hour. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190C conventional for 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Wait until the spiral cools before slicing. Cut into thick slices and eat at room temperature. Store in a covered container in a cool spot in the kitchen for a couple of days.

Recipe by: @italyonmymind