Bread star with cheese heart

• 450 g of 00 flour
• 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 200 ml of whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1 sachet of instant yeast for savory dough
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

INGREDIENTS (for garnish)

2 tablespoons milk, 1 egg

spices such as sweet paprika, blue poppy, sesame seeds, dried oregano etc. or chopped fresh herbs

1 creamy cheese like this one from Bergarder

• Mix the flour with the yeast, sugar and egg (a little beaten) with a stand mixer fitted with a hook, otherwise by hand in a bowl or on a pastry board.
• After a few minutes you can add the salt, the milk and continue kneading until you obtain an elastic and smooth dough (kneaded with the hook with the planetary mixer).
• You can add more flour if the dough is sticky or more milk if it is too compact.
• In a bowl, beat the egg with the milk.
• Take the dough and make lots of balls (mine were about 20 g each) and round them by rolling them in the palms of your hands.
• Place a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray. Place a cookie cutter in the center and distribute the balls around it in a star shape. If it helps, first draw the star on the baking paper, then turn the sheet over and follow the shape of the star to position the balls.
• Brush the surface with egg and milk. Sprinkle the balls with spices or herbs alternating them.
• Bake at 180° for about 20/25 minutes. It must not be ready because it will be put back in the oven with the cheese.
• Cut the top off the cheesecake.
• Remove the bread star from the oven and remove the pastry cutter from the center and insert the cheese.
• Bake again until the cheese melts (about 10 minutes). If the bread browns too much, you can cover it with tin foil.
• Serve it at the table or as an aperitif, each guest can break off a ball of bread and dip it in the melted cheese.