Chamabella with feta cheese and spices
Description
The recipe won't take much time. Ciambella is a traditional Italian ring-shaped bread baked with various fillings. In this recipe, the filling is classic: feta cheese and herbs, and the bread is topped with white and black sesame seeds. There's no special technique required—simply roll out the dough, spread the filling over it, and shape it into a ring. Instead of sesame seeds, you can use cumin or sunflower seeds as a topping. I don't recommend replacing olive oil with vegetable oil, as it won't convey the authentic aroma of Italian bread. Serve warm or cooled. Perfect with tea.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Prepare the starter: mix water with the starter culture, stirring well. Add sifted flour and mix thoroughly again. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours.
- 2
Step 2
2. Place the starter into the bowl of a mixer, add water, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and sifted flour. Knead the dough for 5 minutes at speed 2.
- 3
Step 3
3. The dough will be liquid and will stick to your hands. Transfer the dough to a bowl, gather the edges toward the center, flip it over, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 3 hours.
- 4
Step 4
4. Place the dough on parchment paper and use your hands to stretch it into an even rectangle about 1 cm thick. Place medium-sized pieces of feta cheese and spices to taste on top. Roll the rectangle into a log, then shape it into a bagel, sealing the ends.
- 5
Step 5
5. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet, dust with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 6
Step 6
6. Spritz the bread with water, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool the chamella on a wire rack.