Pane di Noce or Walnut Bread With Honey and Blue Cheese
Adapted from Almost Italian
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes plus 2 hours rising time
- 200g/7ozs. walnuts
- 2.5 teaspoons instant dried yeast
- 85g/3 fl ozs. honey
- 30g/1oz. olive oil
- 500g/17.66 ozs. flour
- 320g//1.3ozs. warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 150g/5ozs. blue cheese
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Spread walnuts out on a baking tray in an even layer and bake for 10 minutes until fragrant. Cool and then process until fine.
Step 2 - In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook add the yeast, honey, olive oil and flour (leave the salt out for the time being). Knead on a low speed for 1 minute until mixed through and then slowly add the water until it starts to comes together. Add the walnuts and keep kneading until elastic.
Step 3 - Roll into a ball and place in the bowl and cover with a tea towel or cling film. Keep in a warm, draught free area to prove for 60 to 90 minutes.
Step 4 - Punch down the dough and knead in the salt. Roll out the dough on a clean surface and form a rectangle. Crumble the blue cheese over the rectangle of dough and press down in the dough. Roll the dough up from one of the short ends and then place on a baking tray. Slash the bread to whatever patterns you like and then allow to prove a second time for 30-40 minutes.
Step 5 - Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve with butter.