741. Olive Cheese Bread Buns

These cheesy, salty bread loaves/buns were off the chart delicious.
Given some love and plenty of rest time, there is nothing quite like a happy freshly baked loaf of bread. Add lots and lots of cheese and some green olives... off the charts I say.
Adapted from Joy the Baker's baking challenge, I was very happy I made these. The only challenge was deciding how to eat them. I'm sure you can eat them as they are very happily. Paired with a soup and occasional dunking sounds marvelous. Sliced and grilled is also a fantastic idea.
The original recipe calls for Gruyere cheese, an amazingly sharp and nutty Swiss cheese that is unfortunately not readily available everywhere. I used a mixture of cheeses, so feel free to adapt according to you personal tastes and cheese availability.

Ingredients:

For the Starter:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water

For the Dough:
all of the starter
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour (50:50 whole and white)
1/2 tsp instant yeast

For the Filling:
2 1/2 cups grated cheese (mix of sharp cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan)
1 cup coarsely chopped green olives
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Method:

To make the starter, mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry. Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature; it'll become bubbly.
To make the dough, combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast.
Knead until soft and smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12".
Use your finger tips and hands to stretch out the dough. No rolling pin required. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and olives.
Starting with a long side of the dough, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal.
Place the log, seam-side down on a lightly floured surface.
Gently cut the log into four crosswise slices. Place them on a non-stick baking sheet, cut side up.
Use your fingers to press the rolls down and spread them open a bit to more fully expose the cheese.
Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour until it's puffy but not necessarily doubled in size.
Towards the end of the rising time, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly brush loaves with egg wash.
Place in the oven to bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
Slice into wedges and serve warm with mustard. Rolls will last, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. They are best reheated gently in the oven or toasted before serving.

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