Italian Christmas Wreath

Here you have our Twintastico Twist on the Christmas Wreath. With perfectly cooked soft dough balls stuffed with gooey mozzarella and the perfect sauce to dip into. Perfect for all the family this Christmas.

Ingredients

For the pizza dough

• 5 cups/650g 00 all-purpose or bread flour
• 2 1⁄4 tsp. fast-acting dry yeast
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup/250ml water
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 6oz/125g Mozzarella, cut into even small pieces

For the sauce

• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups/900g tomato puree/passata
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Handful fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• Handful sage leaves, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

For decoration

• Extra virgin olive oil with one clove of garlic grated in
• Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Handful fresh rosemary and red currants for decoration

Method

First make the dough. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Gradually add the water and olive oil, mixing well until you obtain a dough. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm place for about 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Roll out your pizza dough on a lightly floured surface, cut into small pieces with pizza cutter. Stuff a piece of mozzarella in a piece of dough and fully enclose and seal, place it seam side down in an oiled baking pan in a wreath pattern.

Once they are all stuffed, cover loosely with a kitchen towel and allow them to rest for about 45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to about 180C/350F and bake them until golden brown all over, around 35-40 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic in the oil until the garlic sizzles and turns golden. Then add the tomato puree, tomato paste, basil, and sage. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens.

Once the wreath is cooked remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter and then brush the garlic oil all over the top and grate some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano over the top. Decorate with rosemary sprigs and red currants.

Put the pomodoro sauce in a small dipping pot in the middle of the wreath and pull apart the dough balls and dip into the sauce. Buon Appetito!