ham and cheese

I firmly believe that pigs in blankets are one of the greatest crowd pleasers. As a compact finger food and all, they are suitable for guests of any age and can be enjoyed in nearly any setting. I have many childhood memories of Pillsbury crescent rolls appearing at gatherings. Sourdough ham and cheese crescents are essentially a pigs-in-blankets-inspired sandwich. They are built around a naturally leavened dough that is enriched with sour cream for tang and brown sugar for sweetness. During a long rest period of 14-16 hours, the dough develops a deep flavor and elasticity. This dough subsequently envelops the salty ham and buttery manchego, making sourdough ham and cheese crescents a perfectly portable party food.

ingredients

for the dough

  • 120g / 1 cup sourdough starter
  • 200g / ¾ cup sourcream
  • 1 egg
  • 70g / ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 10g salt
  • 120g / 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 120g / 1 cup white whole-wheat flour

for the filling and assembly

  • 8 ounces ham, sliced
  • 4 ounces manchego cheese, sliced

dough steps

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and pinch and squeeze the dough to work the ingredients together until all is incorporated. Wet your hands and stretch the dough up and fold it in half over itself. Turn the bowl clockwise 90° and stretch and fold it once again. Turn the bowl twice more, each time 90° and stretch and fold each time, for a total of four stretches and folds. Then let the dough sit for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch, fold, rotate, and rest sequence for a total of 6 times, over the course of 2 and a half hours. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let the dough sit until it has doubled and nearly tripled, about 14-16 hours at room temperature.

filling and assembly steps

After the dough has rested, transfer it to a floured surface and roll it out into a 12 inch x 24 inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half vertically then in half horizontally to make four pieces, then cut each of the four pieces in half to create eight pieces. Cut each piece diagonally to yield 16 triangles. Place a few slices of ham and a few slices of cheese in the center of each triangle. Fold one corner over the center of the crescent then continue to roll it up.

Repeat with all 16 crescents, place them on a baking sheet, and let them rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the crescents for 25 minutes until puffed up and lightly golden!