This month’s Bread Bakers is being hosted by my friend Jenni, from Jenni Field’s Pastry Chef Online and her chosen theme is Stuffed Breads. Initially I signed up to make Char Siu Pau but when those didn’t work out so well, I started hunting around the interwebs for something new to try. And I found a winner!
Here’s my disclaimer: I have never been to Greece. I have never tasted tiganopsomo made in a Greek restaurant or by a Greek cook. Truth is, I had never even heard of tiganopsomo before. I have no idea if mine turned out the way they are supposed to. But I can tell you this: They are divine. And this is a dangerous recipe to have found and learned. It’s quick to put together and the dough only needs a 30-minute rest before you are ready to fill it and fry. Time enough to crumble or grate some cheese and chop some mint. And get the cocktails ready. Cut into small triangles, tiganopsomo would be perfect finger food for a cocktail party.
I used this recipe from My Greek Dish and made a couple of the suggested additions, mixing a harder yellow cheese with the feta – I used a sheep’s milk Kashkaval along with a sheep’s milk feta – and some fresh mint. Next time I am going to add some fresh chopped hot chilies. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it in time, this time.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup or 160g flour, plus a little extra for kneading
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast
1/4 cup or 60ml olive oil
1/2 cup or 120ml lukewarm water (You may not use it all.)
7 oz or 200g feta cheese, crumbled or a mixture of feta and hard cheese
(I used 3 oz or 85g feta and 4 oz or 115g Kashkaval cheese.)
About 8-9 fresh mint leaves
Vegetable oil for frying
Method
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Add in the yeast, salt and sugar.
Pour in the olive oil and use your hands or a spatula to mix the flour in a little at a time.
When there is still quite a bit of dry flour showing, start adding the water, mixing as you go, until you have a soft dough.
Knead your dough on a very lightly floured surface for just a few turns. Cover the dough with cling film and allow to rest for half an hour.
Meanwhile, wash and dry your mint leaves and cut them into thin strips, chiffonade-style.
Grate or chop your harder cheese, if using, and crumble your feta. Add the mint into the cheese and mix well.
When the rest period is up, cut your dough into four equal pieces and use a rolling pin to roll them into thin circles about 1/4 in or 1/2 cm thick. Any thicker and you risk the dough not cooking through before it gets brown. We are looking for light and crispy.
Top two of the circles with the cheese mixture and cover with the other dough circles. Use your hands to squeeze the air out from between them before pressing the edges together.
Seal the edges well, using a fork to add a decorative pattern all around the outsides. This is important, as you don’t want your filling leaking out.
Heat your skillet over a medium flame and add just enough oil to cover the bottom.
Fry the stuffed breads one at a time.
Turn when golden on the bottom.
Put them on paper towels to absorb any excess oil when they are crispy on both sides.
Cut into wedges to serve. These are fabulous warm but can also be eaten at room temperature or reheated till crispy once more in a dry non-stick skillet after being refrigerated. (I’ve tested all three ways!)
Enjoy!
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| For appetizers, cut the circles into eight or 12 wedges instead of just four! |
Many thanks to our host, Jenni from Jenni Field’s Pastry Chef Online for a great challenge! My fellow Bread Bakers have exceeded themselves this month and I can’t wait to try all the stuffed breads they’ve made.
Sweet Breads
- Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Monkey Bread from Robin at A Shaggy Dough Story
- Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread from Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
- Cream Pan - Japanese Custard Filled Buns from Shireen at Ruchik Randhap
- Figgy Olive Oil and Sesame Challah from Sarah at What Smells So Good?
- Jam filled Danish Pastries from Holly at A Baker's House
- No-Knead Apricot Sweet Rolls from Renee at Magnolia Days
- Baked Peas Kachori from Shilpi at SimplyVeggies
- Cauliflower, Paneer & Peas Stromboli from Priya at I Camp in my Kitchen
- Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Pretzel Buns from Allison at The PinterTest Kitchen
- Cheesy Pizza Wheels from Tara at Noshing with the Nolands
- Chicken Stuffed Casserole Bread from Vimala at Cooking Club
- Cuban Sandwich-Stuffed Cuban Bread from Jenni at Jenni Field’s Pastry Chef Online
- Gruyère Stuffed Crusty Loaves from Adam at Bakers and Best
- Jalapeño Cheddar Stuffed Pretzel Rolls from Heather at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
- Jamaican Meat Loaf from Kelly of Passion Kneaded
- Paneer Kulchi from Anshie at Spice Roots
- Prosciutto, Salami and Mozzarella Stromboli from Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Russian Pirozhki from Mireille at Chef Mireille's East West Realm
- Sri Lankan Seeni Sambol Buns from Pavani at Cook's Hideout
- Stuffed Bazlama - Turkish Bread from Sneha at Sneha's Recipe
- Stuffed Black Garlic Monkey Bread from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Stuffed Pretzel Bites from Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Tiganopsomo - Feta-Stuffed Fried Bread from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
- Zucchini and Goat Cheese Stuffed Bread from Aisha at La cocina de Aisha
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.
