Sage & Onion Tear & Share Bread

As-Salam Alaikum Sisters / Greetings Dear Reader,

If you ask any Brit what their favourite dinner is? a lot will still say a traditional roast dinner, even after all the wonderful food culture that is now in Britain we still love our roast meat and boiled vegetables.

This sage and onion tear and share bread which really are just bread rolls joined together (usually in a circle but I must have skipped over those instruction, ooops!) tastes just like the sage and onion stuffing that goes so well with a roast Chicken/Turkey dinner.

The next time your having a roast Chicken/Turkey dinner make up a batch of this bread and then you can make sandwiches with any leftover meat.

Also this bread would go well served with a chicken soup.

Don't be put off by the white layer on top of the sage leaves, it's the milk glaze to help them stick and glazing bread with milk will create a soft crust. The leaves are simply for garnish and can be removed prior to eating.

Sage & Onion Tear & Share Bread

Makes 8 bread rolls

Slightly adapted from Hairy Bikers Sage and Onion Tear and Share Bread.

1-2 hours prep time

20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

150ml whole milk, plus extra for glazing

400g plain white flour, plus extra for kneading

7g sachet fast-action dried yeast

1tsp caster sugar

1tsp fine sea salt

15g unsalted butter

1tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing bowl

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

15-20 sage leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish

ground black pepper

Method

Heat 125ml water and the milk in a saucepan over a low heat until lukewarm.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast, sugar and salt.

Make a well in the centre and stir in the water and milk with a large wooden spoon (You can use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment to mix and knead the bread) Gather into a ball then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. (5minutes if using a stand mixer)

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover loosely with oiled clingfilm. Leave to rise at room temperature place for 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onion and garlic over a very low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened.

Scatter the chopped sage over the onions and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with lots of ground black pepper and set aside to cool.

When the dough has doubled in size, tip it back onto a floured surface and flatten with the palms of your hands. Spoon the onion mixture on top and knead for a couple of minutes until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with a little extra flour as it will become sticky from the extra moisture and fat.

Divide the dough into eight (approx. 100g per ball) and shape into neat balls by pulling the dough from the outside of the ball and pushing into the centre. Turn over with the ends underneath.

Place the rolls in a circle (oops I put them in a straight line!) on a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, making sure the dough balls are touching. Cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave to prove in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (Fan)/350F/Gas 6.

Brush the top of each roll lightly with milk and place a small sage leaf on top. Brush with more milk and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool a little before serving.