Irresistibly delicious straight out of the oven, or perfect to pack for a picnic, these tasty scrolls can be made without mortadella for a vegetarian option.

Recipes & Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Pesto & mortadella scrolls
serves 8

scrolls
500g plain flour
¼ cup skim milk powder
1 tsp salt
250ml milk
7g dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk, plus 1 yolk for glazing
60g butter, cubed, at room temperature
8 mortadella slices (omit for vego option)

pesto
3 garlic cloves
½ tsp salt
45g pine nuts
3 cups basil leaves
60g parmesan, grated
80ml olive oil

Place flour, skim milk powder and salt into a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Heat milk in the microwave until warm (about 50C), add yeast and sugar and allow 5 minutes to activate. With the motor running on low, add the yeast mixture, egg and yolk to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the butter one cube at a time and mix well. Change to the dough attachment and knead for 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and allow to prove for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the pesto. Place the garlic and salt into a food processor bowl and blitz to a paste. Add the pine nuts and continue to blitz. Add the basil leaves and pulse until finely chopped. Add the parmesan and pulse to combine. Scrape out the pesto into a small bowl and stir through the olive oil. The mix will be a bit drier than a typical pesto.

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a lightly floured kitchen bench, knock back and form into a log. Portion into 8 even pieces (each should weigh 100-120g), form into balls and cover loosely with a piece of cling film or tea towel. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Working one at a time, roll each dough ball into a rectangle about 10x24cm. Spread the dough with 2 tbsp pesto and top with a slice of mortadella (if using). With the longer side in front of you, roll into a log and press down to seal each end. Cut the log in half lengthwise, keeping about 2cm at one end intact. Twist the two strands around each other, ensuring the cut side exposing the pesto faces upwards, and pinch the end to seal. Slightly stretch the length of dough, cross over the ends, bringing one end through the hole created – as though making a knot. Gently press the ends to seal. Place the scroll on the baking tray and cover with a sheet of cling film or a tea towel. Once all scrolls are made, allow to prove for one hour.

Preheat oven to 180C. Gently brush each scroll with egg yolk and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

This recipe first appeared in the October 2021 issue of SALIFE magazine.