We nibbled on these chorizo bread rolls before dinner on Christmas Eve and they were awesome! Freshly baked, they filled the air with spicy chorizo aroma and made Juanpi SO happy! He said they reminded him of bollu preñau, which are Asturian and Cantabrian bread rolls stuffed with whole (cider-braised) chorizo, and you can find them in bars or pubs (specially of Asturian origin) served as a tapa. We ate them with some French salad on a side – simply delectable!

CHORIZO BREAD ROLLS
-for 20 bread rolls-

500g (white) spelt flour – type 630 (can be substituted by all-purpose flour)
200g wholewheat spelt flour
30g fresh baker’s yeast
a good pinch of sea salt
1 Tbsp honey (or cane sugar)
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp sweet paprika
approx. 475ml lukewarm water
100ml good quality olive oil
1 cured chorizo, sliced

1. Prepare the bread dough in a bowl or let the breadmaker do the job for you: mix both flours, add salt, oregano, sweet paprika, olive oil and make a “well” in the middle: crumble the yeast in it, cover with a tablespoon of honey (sugar) and pour 200ml of lukewarm water over it. Cover the bowl/breadmaker and place somewhere warm/away from draught. Let the yeast ferment for 30′.
2. Using a wooden spoon stir the flour while adding the rest of lukewarm water (slowly), until the dough starts detaching from the bowl. Then use your hands to work the dough. If using a breadmaker, just set it on a “dough” program. Let the dough rise (covered) for 1 hour.
3. Mix the chorizo slices in the dough, take small portions of it and form balls. Place one by one on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, brush with little water (or milk), cover and let rise for 20′. In the meantime preheat the oven to 200ºC.
4. Bake the bread rolls until nicely brown, then transfer to the wire rack and let cool at least a bit before biting into them! We ate them, as mentioned above, with some tasty French salad.