Do away with pesky slices of bread and bake your cheesy filling into your loaf – serve as thick wedges
Prep:40 mins
Cuts into 10 slices
500g pack bread mix2 tbsp olive oil200g smoked bacon lardon2 tbsp butter3 large fat leeks, thinly slicedlittle flour, for dusting200g mature cheddar, diced2 eggs, beaten separately10 sage leaves, thinly shredded2 tbsp grated parmesan
STEP 1Make up the bread mix following pack instructions, using the 2 tbsp oil and the recommended amount of water. Leave in an oiled bowl, covered with oiled cling film, somewhere warm-ish to rise for 1 hr.STEP 2Meanwhile, put the lardons in a big, cold frying pan. Heat gently at first so the fat runs from the lardons before they crisp up – about 10 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the butter and leeks to the pan and cook to soften. Cool.STEP 3Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 20 x 70cm. Mix the lardons, leeks, cheddar, one of the eggs, the sage and some seasoning. Spoon the filling down one long edge of the rectangle, then brush the edge with some remaining egg. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and pinch together the edges, but not the ends, to seal into a long sausage. Carefully shape into a ring on a floured baking tray, around a floured empty jar or tin. Pinch together the open ends to finish the ring. Brush all over with egg, scatter with Parmesan and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to rise for 15-20 mins.STEP 4Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Eat in wedges.
