Getting a little cheesy - Nostalgic Bread Recipe

I am lucky enough to have truly wonderful memories of my grandparents. My grandma, who held my hands as I took my first tentative steps into the sea, would collect me from nursery in her electric blue Fiesta and whose kind and loving hug I took for granted as a child and long for as an adult. My grandpa, who would sneak me his home grown tomatoes, even though it was almost dinner time and who like Scheherazade had a thousand stories to tell, varying from his childhood to just make-believe.

My most treasured memory of my grandparents - or even my childhood - involves more food. What a surprise! My grandpa and I would walk from their house to a little garden shop. I remember it being a tiny, higgledy piggledy place with terracotta pots and bunches of flowers balanced everywhere. But we didn't go there for the plants, oh no. We would skirt around them until we reached the back where there was a small café which served homemade teacakes with plenty of butter. Not yet full, we would wander down to Safeway and pick up a "wheel" to have for lunch. Perhaps a trip to the local toyshop and then we would hurry back to my grandparent's, where I would get to choose a film. I had several 'proper' films to pick from, but I would always end up watching the old battered copy of Mary Poppins that someone had recorded from the TV. I even loved the old adverts that would run in between...

(love the First Choice one at the end!)

But hold up. Hang on. What the heck is a "wheel"?! 

You mean you haven't heard of the Safeway wheel - a gloriously cheesy, round loaf of bread, topped with a mouthwatering mix of onion, tomatoes and poppy seeds?

Don't be too alarmed. Apparently Google hasn't heard of the wheel either. I tried to find a photo of it - alas! My search was fruitless. Well now, this is a travesty that can't go on any longer.

I present to you my recipe for the Safeway Wheel - the food of my childhood and the perfect pick-me-up as the days get colder.

[I used the The Great British Bake Off 'Learn to Bake' (available here) recipe for the 'Easy Bread Rolls' as I have used it time and again and I know it produces a soft dough - everything else is by me!]

You will need:

- 500g Strong White Flour

- 1 packet of fast-action yeast

- 300ml lukewarm water

- 1 tsp salt

- ½ onion

- Grated cheese

- Handful of tomatoes

- Poppy seeds

- Milk

- Olive oil (for greasing the baking tray)

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add yeast and salt and mix together

2. Add the water, using your hands press the mixture together until you have a soft dough (if it is sticky add 1 tbsp of flour, too dry add 1 tbsp of water until the consistency is soft and no crumbs are left in the bottom of the bowl)

3. Begin kneading! Add a little flour to your work surface and begin working the dough.  Basically pull, fold, turn and repeat for 4 minutes.

4. Leave dough under a bowl for 10 minutes.

5. Repeat kneading for another 4 minutes.

6. Sprinkle a little flour into the bottom of the bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and a tea towel in a warm space (it was still sunny when I made this so I let mine sit outside) and leave for 1 hour. After about 45 minutes preheat your oven at 210°C (fan), 220°C (if not).

7. Time to prepare your toppings – slice your onion horizontally and pop out the rings. Slice your tomatoes. I've read online that you should soak your poppy seeds in milk before baking, but to be honest I don’t think it is necessary. However, this is why my poppy seeds look a little funny.

8. Woah! Look at that monster. Now that it has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl and place on an oiled tray (my photo shows baking paper – do not do this unless you fancy peeling it off at the end *hint* that isn't a fun job)

9. Squish the dough a bit until it resembles a thick pizza.

10.   Brush with milk and then start adding the toppings! – I did cheese, onion, tomatoes, poppy seeds and more cheese!

11.   Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. You may need to cover the bread during the last 5-10 minutes with foil as the onions tend to catch.

12.   Once baked, remove from the tray and allow to cool.

13.   Cut into wedges and serve with butter.

Perfect on its own or even better served with a chunky tomato soup. Watching Mary Poppins is optional but thoroughly recommended for the true nostalgic experience.

So, what do you think of my first recipe post?  Single handedly taking photos whilst kneading isn't exactly a piece of cake (or should I say, slice of bread - ho ho ho!) but I think I will do more baking posts - maybe something sweeter next time?