Fresh sage is one of my favourite herbs, but it often gets relegated to the Christmas stuffing. These bread twists are incredibly moreish and make for a perfect pre-party snack.
Makes 12-15
olive oil 50ml
red onion 1, finely chopped
bread flour 400g
fresh sage 2½ tbsp, finely chopped
black pepper ½ tsp
fast action dried yeast 1 sachet (7g)
salt 1 tsp
lukewarm water 200ml
sesame seeds 1 tbsp
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, fresh sage, black pepper, yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre, pour in the water and the remaining olive oil and stir to make a shaggy dough.
Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let the dough rise for 1½-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Once risen, turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and use your fingertips to flatten into a rough rectangle. Pour the cooled onions on to the surface and press them into the dough. Give the dough a brief knead to incorporate all the onions – this part will be a little messy and if any onions fall out just knead them back in.
Heat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6. Let the dough rest on the work surface for 10 minutes before dusting a rolling pin with flour and rolling the dough out into a large rectangle, about 25cm x 35cm.
Slice the dough into thin strips about 1cm wide, take two at a time and twist them around each other. Place each twist on a baking tray, brush with a little more olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Benjamina Ebuehi is the author of A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood
