Pesto Mozzarella Rolls (Eggless)

There are few things better than hot soup and warm, fluffy homemade rolls on a rainy evening. This pesto-cheese combination has been on my mind for a while now and this is such a straightforward recipe, it’s a joy to make. Herby and cheesy with all the flavour of olive oil. So tender and so so soft!

The recipe for this dough is the one I used in these cheddar onion rolls. The only thing different here apart from the fillings of course, is I made sightly thicker and fewer rolls so they all fit in one pan. The homemade pesto is full of extra virgin olive oil for the bestest flavours and freshly shredded mozzarella goes so so well.

Unlike a pizza, the mozzarella here isn’t very stretchy, it sort of melts into the dough creating a gooey, buttery kind of flavour. It’s divine, but feel free to use a cheddar or your favourite cheese here as well, as long as it doesn’t burn too fast. And whether you make the dough in a stand mixer or using your hands, it’s easy to work with. The photos below are the rolls before and after the second rise, when they’re all puffy and stick together.

As the rolls bake, they rise a bit in the center and you’ll find the cheese oozing out and forming crusty, golden-brown edges which are the BEST part obviously! Seriously, I was scraping the corners and bottom of the pan to find as many of those browned bits as I could. The rolls are impossibly pillowy, I had forgotten just how fluffy they bake up to be!

You may find that the pesto oozes some greenish colour on the tops, that’s ok. The salt in it causes the basil to release some water, and it doesn’t do any harm. The flavour soaks in through the dough and the smell is amaaaazing!

I hope you’ll make a batch of these rolls soon!

Pesto Mozzarella Rolls

Fluffy and tender homemade pesto and mozzarella rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

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Ingredients

  

For the dough

• 1 cup milk (250 ml)
• 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 4 tbsps olive oil
• 2 tsps salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 gms)

For the filling

• 100  gms fresh basil leaves rinsed, stems removed
• 2 to 3  tbsps  extra virgin olive oil
• 3  cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tsps lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• 3/4 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese (100 gms; see notes)

Instructions

• Heat the milk in a small bowl till it's warm, but not hot and you can comfortably dip a finger in. Add the yeast and sugar, stir it around, then cover with clingfilm and set aside for 5 to 10 mins till frothy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, or in a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture, salt and olive oil. Mix for a few seconds.
• Add the flour and knead on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. If you a poke a finger on the top, it should slowly bounce back, that's when you know it's ready to rise. If you're not using a mixer, mix the dough in a bowl, then knead on a lightly floured counter for about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Lightly oil the bowl you just used, then place the dough in it. Roll it around to coat all sides with oil. Cover tightly with clingfilm and set aside to rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled.
• In the meantime, make the pesto by combining the basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and blitz into a paste. Adjust seasonings as needed and keep chilled until needed.
• Now get back to the dough. Grease an 8" square pan. (The cheese tends to stick, so greasing is important.)
• When the dough has doubled, punch it down to release the air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured counter or large silicone mat (for easy clean up). Roll or pat the dough out into a roughly 10 x 12 inch rectangle, making sure it's even all over.
• Spread the pesto in an even layer, leaving about half an inch border on all sides. Top with the grated mozzarella.
• Starting at the shorter end, slowly roll the dough up tightly into a cylinder and place it seam side down. Slice using a sharp knife into 9 equal pieces. Some of the pesto may ooze out, making it difficult to roll the dough properly or cut it into even pieces. Don't worry about it, it all works out in the end!
• Place each roll in the prepared pan, with the cut side facing up (see photos in the post above), leaving a slight gap to allow them to rise further, although if they do stick together, it's ok. Cover the pan tightly with clingfilm and leave to rise again for about 1 hour until puffed and doubled.
• Preheat the oven to 180 C. Remove the clingfilm from the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned on the tops and sides.
• Allow the rolls to rest for a few minutes, then using a sharp knife, cut each one out and eat warm! Best on day one, but you can store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat gently in the oven before eating. Happy bread baking!

Notes

*Preferably avoid pre-shredded mozzarella because it contains starches to prevent it from clumping in the bag, and it doesn't melt as well. Buy a block and grate it at home.

*Prep time does not include dough rise time.

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