Bread and photo by Orange Piggy, Premium Member © Sarah Phillips
Orange Piggy posted this wonderful recipe, which I adapted. It makes wonderful Piggy Bread Rolls, perfect for a kid's lunchbox. It can be filled with any type of savory or sweet filling or baked without. When using instant active dry yeast, simply let the dough rest for 10 minutes after kneading, instead of a formal first rising. A rising typically takes place after shaping and before baking, but this one takes place in the oven, called oven spring, so the bread holds its shape better.
BREAD RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
Bread:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour*, or more if needed
2 1/4 teaspoons (one 1/4-ounce packet) instant active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water, about 120 to 130 degrees F measured with an instant read thermometer
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons water
1 to 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, for garnish
16 whole black peppercorns, for garnish
*FLOUR NOTE:
ORANGE PIGGY SAYS: 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, I used:
180 grams whole wheat flour
80 grams cake flour
Filling:
1 cup jam or cheese of your choice, smoked salmon, salami or sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces.
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Bread Dough:
1. In a bowl of food processor, fitted with the dough blade, add the flours, yeast, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine.
2. Combine the warm water and oil.
3. With the food processor running on low speed, add the water / oil mixture in steady stream just until the dough begins to come together in a ball.
If it does not, add a little more and pulse to combine after each addition.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 6 minutes.
The dough should not have small lumps of flour on its surface or its surface tearing, indicating it is too dry.
Whole wheat dough is flecked with bran will show some small tears on its surface; bran acts like little scissors and cuts into the dough.
5. Place the dough in a medium bowl, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Position the oven shelf to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with a parchment paper.
Cut out the Bread Faces and Assemble the Piggy Rolls:
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick. If the dough springs back while doing so, cover and let it rest a few minutes before trying, again.
Do not force the dough to stretch.
2. Cut the bread parts and set aside. Cover loosely with plastic wrap:
Faces – 16 circles with a 3-inch cookie cutter or rim of a glass
Snouts: 8 circles with a 1-inch cookie cutter
Ears: 4 circles 2-inch cookie cutter. Then cut these circles into quarters. You will have 16.
3. Assemble the faces:
a. Beat the egg whites with water
b. Assemble 3-inch dough circles
1. On the work table, place one 3-inch dough circle. Place filling on top, taking care to avoid the edges.
2. With a small brush, brush the edges with the egg white mixture
3. Place another 3-inch dough circle on top and lightly press around the edges to adhere.
4. Repeat steps b, 1-3 with the remaining dough circles.
c. Attach the Snouts and Ears to the 3-inch dough circles
1. Brush one side of the 8 snouts and 16 ears with the egg white mixture
2. Press onto the filled 3-inch dough circles, sticky side down, to adhere.
d. Garnish the 3-inch dough circles
1. Place 2 rosemary leaves to make nostrils in each of the snouts
2. Place 2 peppercorns to make eyes in each of the dough circles. Press lightly into the dough so they won't come off.
e. Finishing touches
1. Brush the piggy faces with lightly beaten egg yolk.
2. Place finished faces on the prepared cookie sheet about 1-inch apart.
Bake:
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire cake rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.
STORAGE
Unfilled rolls: Wait until the bread cools completely before wrapping in plastic wrap or a few times in foil and storing it in an airtight plastic bag or in a bread box.
Bread is best stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place for 2 to 3 days or kept frozen, where it will keep fresh for 2 to 3 months.
Filled rolls: Wait until the bread cools completely before wrapping in plastic wrap or a few times in foil and storing it in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator.
The bread can be kept frozen, where it will keep fresh for 2 to 3 months.
