Ingredients
Active dry yeast - 2 tsp
Granulated sugar - 1 TBSP
Whole milk - 3/4 cup
Unsalted butter - 3 TBSP, softened to room temperature
Large egg - 1 (substitute with 1/4 cup yogurt or apple sauce)
All purpose flour - 2 and 1/3 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Finely chopped fresh rosemary - 1 TBSP (or 2 tsp dried)
Filling
Unsalted butter - 5 TBSP, extra soft
Finely chopped fresh rosemary - 1 TBSP (or 2 tsp dried)
Finely chopped fresh parsley - 1 TBSP (or 2 tsp dried)
Garlic cloves - 2, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Shredded cheese - 3/4 cup, parmesan, mozzarella, or white cheddar cheese
Optional Topping
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
flaky/coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Steps
1. Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Add warm milk (about 110°F) on top of yeast/sugar. Whisk gently to combine, and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the butter, egg, flour, salt, garlic powder, and rosemary. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Dough will be soft. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Using lightly floured hands, knead it for 1 minute. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-3 more Tablespoons of flour, but you want a very soft dough. Shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise until doubled in size, around 60-90 minutes.
3. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the soft butter, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and salt together for filling. Cover tightly and set aside until ready to use.
5. Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces. Using lightly floured hands, flatten each into a circle that’s about 4 inches in diameter. The circle doesn’t have to be perfectly round. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of filling mixture onto each. Sprinkle each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Fold circles in half and line in prepared baking pan, round side up.
6. Cover loaf pan with plastic wrap and allow to rise once again in a slightly warm environment until puffy, about 45 minutes.
7. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position then preheat oven to 350°F. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. If you find the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
If desired, brush with melted butter for topping and sprinkle with sea salt.
8. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and serve warm.
Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes until interior is soft again or warm in the microwave.
