Boost your fibre intake with these pesto and parmesan dough twists

For years, we’ve been told that flour is problematic. But flour can be a brilliant ingredient for making tasty, filling and fibre-packed snacks and meals – as this doughy recipe from nutritionist Bari Stricoff for the Nourishing the Nation Fibre February campaign proves. 

Hands up if you were taught to avoid flour. Oh, so that would be loads of us then. For years, carbs have been demonised but while potatoes, rice and pasta may have been somewhat brought back into the fold, flour is still often dismissed as being unhealthy.

That’s simply inaccurate. Wholegrain flour is packed with fibre – making it a really bloody important tool in the fight to get people to consume more. 90% of Brits don’t eat enough fibre, despite the fact that it’s known to reduce the chances of heart attacks, strokes and type 2 diabetes. While it can be a bit of a slog eating wholegrain breads and snacks all the time, mixing whole flour with plain can increase your fibre intake while making it easier to digest. Don’t forget too, that most plain flour is fortified with hard-to-find vitamins. 

These pesto and parmesan dough twists mix both kinds of flour for a good dose of gut-loving fibre, and also boasts a dose of walnuts which are known to improve brain health and boost mood.

Ingredients

1 packet fast action yeast

220ml warm water

200g wholemeal flour

200g plain flour

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

½ jar red pesto (more for dipping)

170g parmesan cheese

75g chopped walnuts 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°c (fan).

In the measuring jug, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir and set to one side for two or minutes to activate the yeast.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, sugar and salt. 

Pour in the yeast and water and stir them together with your hand to form a dough.

Sprinkle your worktop with a little flour and knead the dough until smooth, then return to the large mixing bowl.

Cover and leave in a warm place for at least 15 minutes to prove (this is where it will start to grow in size).

Using your fist, knock the dough back (this means push the dough back down to its original size) and tip out onto a floured work surface before rolling into a large rectangle shape (about 5mm thickness).

Spread the red pesto on half of the rectangle, sprinkle over the walnuts, grate a thin layer of cheese on top and then fold over half of the dough over the pesto and parmesan.

Cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips, then, holding each end, twist each one before placing onto a lined baking tray.

Bake for 15-20 mins until risen and golden then remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, grate more cheese on top and serve. 

Recipe adapted by @barithedietitian for the Nourishing the Nation Fibre February campaign to demonstrate easy ways to add fibre into your diet. For more information, visit the Fab Flour website and follow the campaign on social: @fab_flour on Instagram, @fabflour on Facebook and Twitter #fibrefebruary.

For more nutritious recipes, visit the Strong Women Training Club.

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