Alex Porter, Graduate Rural Surveyor, Bidwells St Albans

Makes 16

INGREDIENTS

500g strong white bread flour

7g salt

10g fast action dried yeast

60g unsalted butter at room temperature

320ml cool water

100–150g ham, roughly cut to 1–2cm squares

150g cheese, crumbled

METHOD

Put the flour into a large bowl and then add the salt and yeast. Slowly add the butter, mixing it in with your fingers. Add approximately 240ml of the water and mix with your hand. Continue to add more of the water until the dough is soft and sticky and no flour is left on the side of the bowl (you may not need to use all the water). Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (approximately 5–10 minutes or more).

Leave the dough in a large bowl to rise until it has doubled or tripled in size (at least 1 ½ hours but up to 3 hours is fine). Once risen, knock the dough back on a lightly floured and shape it into a rough rectangle.

Now add the ham and cheese into the dough, pressing them in so that they are evenly distributed. Roll the dough into a long sausage and then divide into 16 equal sized pieces (these will be your individual rolls). Try and get them as similar sized as possible so they cook through at the same rate.

Line two baking trays with baking paper. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and arrange on the trays – each tray should have 8 balls (1 in the middle with the other 7 arranged around the edge so that they are just touching). Leave the rolls to prove again for about 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 220°C or gas mark 7. Lightly spray the dough with water and then dust with flour. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when the bottom is tapped.

TIP: almost any cheese and meat can be used to create different combinations.

Make me, Eat Me! by Bidwells can be bought from Bidwells St Albans, 45 Grosvenor Road, or online for £10 http://www.bidwells.co.uk/recipe-book/ All proceeds to charity including the Pepper Foundation