Wholewheat Stuffed Buns

Who in the world doesn’t love the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven? It’s better than any smell my nose could possibly ... uh, smell. :D And mind you, my sense of smell is really strong. I can sniff food from far away and even guess what ingredients are boiling/ broiling/ baking/ frying away! :P But nothing like a loaf of bread, heh? Remember the Stuffed Bread Loaf I made sometime back? Well, this is pretty much like that. Same method, different output.

Honestly, these buns are so much fun to make. Elastic dough meets fresh veggies and herbs in a beautiful holy union that your taste buds need to experience. Pronto. Their crispy exterior and soft centers filled with delicious fresh vegetables will have your hands reach for seconds and slapping others from taking more. :D All this hard work it’s so totally worth eating the whole thing. Crispy crust, soft gooey center… your family  will be giving you high fives all night long. :-)

I used half wholewheat flour and half all purpose flour. If you aren't bothered about the no-nutrition fact, then I'd suggest you use All purpose flour completely. Because  the elasticity comes by using Refined flour, and not wheat flour. But I did it anyway... trying to keep the "healthy" factor in mind! :D But ultimately, the taste wasn't a lot different from my Stuffed Bread Loaf. I also noticed that the wholewheat dough doesn't rise as much as a dough of refined flour. (is it just me or its just the way it is? I know not.)

STUFFED BUNS RECIPE
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Prep Time - 1 hour 30 minutes
Bake Time - 20-25 minutes
Makes- 5-6 medium sized buns

Ingredients
For the dough
Wholewheat flour - 1/2 cup
All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Warm water - 1/3 cup
Instant Yeast - 1 tsp (If you're using active dry yeast, you should proof it before using)
Sugar - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp (or any veg oil)

For the stuffing*
Tomato Sauce - 2 tbsp
Onions, finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Bell pepper, finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Crumbled Feta Cheese - 1/4 cup
Garlic, minced - 2 tsp
Green chilli, finely chopped - 2
Cheese
* You can make any stuffing of your choice.

Other
Milk or Butter, for brunshing the top of buns

Method
A] For the dough
1. To warm water, add sugar, instant yeast and oil. Let it rest for 1 minute. Mix well and keep aside. (Follow the method I've done HERE to use active dry yeast)

2. Sift both the flours and salt together.

3. Add the yeast water mix slowly to the dough and knead to a soft and elastic dough.

4. Keep covered with a damp cloth and let it rest for 1.5 hours until the dough rises. (double its size)

5. Punch the dough down and divide into equal parts.

B] For the Stuffing
1. Just mix everything together. Knead with hands.
 
* If you want, you could roast them or shallow fry too. I just preferred to keep it raw.

C] Making the Buns
Pre-heat oven to 180 C / 375 F
1. Take a part of the dough and roll into into a 1/4 inc thick circle. In the center, place about 1 or 2 tablespoons of the stuffing.

2. Enclose the stuffing by bringing all the sides in the center.

3. Then roll it well into a ball and gently press to give a slightly flatter bun.

4. With a knife, make slight cross indention on the top. Brush the buns with milk or melted butter.

5. Bake at 180 C for around 25 minutes. Let it cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes
- Ovens vary. Monitor your buns closely after 20th minute. If the top looks like burning, reduce the temperature.
- Don't roll the dough too thin. It has to be at least 1/4 inch thick for the stuffing to stay inside. Similarly, don't fill a lot of stuffing into one bun.
- Properly seal the bun and flatten it. Otherwise, the bottom may become mushy and cheese or sauce might start oozing out.
- Using all purpose flour completely would give you a much more elastic dough.
- Let the buns rest in the oven for 5 minutes. If you take them out before they cool, they are likely to disintegrate.