Olive and Cheese Stuffed Bread

This Olive and Cheese Stuffed Bread is made of small buns stuffed with mozzarella cheese and olives and is sure to be a hit!

This Olive and Cheese stuffed Bread buns is a popular breakfast in Lebanon. It is known as “Khaliat el Nahal” in Arabic which translates to “beehive” in English. It is made out of connected mini buns, each bun is stuffed with mozzarella cheese and one pitted olive. These mini buns are then placed on a round baking pan as close to each other as possible and baked to perfection.

For this recipe, I used shredded mozzarella cheese because I that’s what I had on hand, but you can also cut out about 30 small pieces of mozzarella sticks to stuff your little buns. This will be a lot easier.

What you Need to Make Olive and Cheese Stuffed Bread

(Scroll down for exact quantities and a printable option.)

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Instant yeast
• Sugar
• Salt
• Vegetable oil
• Milk
• Cheese
• Black olives
• Egg white- for brushing
• Roasted sesame seeds- for garnishing

Step by Step to Shaping the Olive and Cheese Stuffed Buns:

• Punch down the dough.

• Cut out about 30 small pieces of dough and arrange on a lightly floured surface.

• Using the palm of your hand flatten each individual dough.

• Fill each piece of dough with about 1 teaspoon of shredded cheese.

• Add one pitted olive.

• Pull up the sides of the stuffed rolled out dough and wrap around the filling, pinching it to close at the top. Using your palms roll out into smooth balls.

• Generously grease a 10 inch round baking pan.
• Arrange the stuffed balls on the greased pan as close to each other as possible. (It will look like a beehive).

• In a small bowl, whisk egg white and brush the top of the arranged stuffed buns.

• Sprinkle with some roasted sesame seeds.

• Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

More Bread Recipes? Here are some!

Cheese Manakish

Lahm bi Ajeen- Lebanese Meat Pies

Zaatar Swirl Bread

Cheese Manakish

Spinach Pies

Olive and Cheese Stuffed Bread

Yield: 30 buns

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cups warm milk- I heat mine up in the microwave for a few seconds. 

For the Filling

• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or cut out about 30 small cubes of cheese. 
• About 30 pitted black olives
• 1 egg white 
• 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds- optional 

Instructions

To make the dough: 

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes to foam.
2. In a large mixing bowl with lid, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder very well.
3. Add warm milk and olive oil and start kneading.
4. Pour in the yeast mixture. Continue kneading until soft dough forms. I knead until dough feels elastic, smooth, and no longer sticks  to my hands (If after mixing, the dough is still too sticky for you, you can sprinkle just a tiny bit of flour).
5. Shape the whole dough into a big ball.
6. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil on ball-shaped dough and spread evenly.
7. Cover the dough with a piece of seal plastic wrap and close with lid
8. Wrap container with a large blanket or towel (to keep warm) and leave to rise for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.

To Make the Bread Rolls:

1. Punch down the dough and cut out about 30 small pieces of dough.
2. Arrange the small pieces of dough on lightly floured surface.
3. Using the palm of your hand flatten each individual dough (I usually will flatten and fill one piece at a time, but you can consolidate tasks by flattening all pieces then filling and closing all pieces.)
4. Fill each piece of dough with about 1 teaspoon of the shredded cheese and one pitted olive.
5. Pull up the sides of the rolled out dough and wrap around the filling, pinching it to close at the top. Using your palms roll out into smooth balls.

To Assemble and Bake:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 F.
2. Generously grease a 10 inch round baking pan.
3. Arrange the stuffed balls on the greased pan as close to each other as possible. (It will look like a beehive).
4. In a small bowl, whisk egg white and brush the top of the arranged stuffed buns.
5. Sprinkle with some roasted sesame seeds.
6. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until  lightly golden brown.
7. Serve warm and enjoy!