These mini pizza crescent rolls are great to pack as a snack or even in a lunch box. Very easy to make, they can be filled with any cheese you like. The dough is pretty simple and flavourful, just make sure to knead it well. As with any dough, it is quite difficult to over-knead it by hand, so do not be afraid to knead it for longer than 5 minutes, if you think the dough needs it. If you are using a mixer with a dough hook, watch it carefully, as it is very easy to over-knead and make the dough dense and tough.
Ingredients
350 grams plain flour
1 ½ teaspoon dried yeast
120 ml warm whole milk
1 teaspoon sugar
100 grams cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese
100 grams butter, softened
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
100 grams crumbled Feta cheese (optional)
50 grams butter, melted
Preparation
Pour the warm milk in a small bowl, add the yeast and sugar, along with a teaspoon of flour, mix well and let the yeast activate in a warm spot, for about 10 minutes. When the yeast is bubbly, combine the softened butter, room temperature cheese, tomato spice and the rest of the spices in a large bowl, and blend them really well with an electric mixer. Add 4 tablespoons of flour and activated yeast and blend well again. Sift in the rest of flour, mixing the dough first with a wooden spoon, then with your hands, until you get a soft, pliable dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Transfer it to a floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes (add a bit more flour if the dough keeps sticking to your hands).
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour. Gently knead the risen dough, then divide it into two equal parts. Roll out each dough part into a circle (about 5 mm; ¼-inch thick) on a lightly floured surface, then using a pizza wheel, cut each circle into 12 triangles. If you like Feta cheese, add a bit of it on the wider part of the triangle, then roll it up towards the smaller side. Brush each crescent roll with melted butter and arrange them on a non-greased baking sheet. Repeat with the second part of the dough. If there is some melted butter left, drizzle it over the rolls on the baking sheets. Let them rest for about 30 minutes, and bake them in a preheated oven, at 200˚C (400˚F) for 10-12 minutes. Yields 24 mini crescent rolls. © Tina Vesić