Mozzarella Stuffed Rosemary and Parmesan Soft Pretzels

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast 1 standard packet

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 tbs unsalted butter melted

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

• 3 cups all-purpose flour + up to ¾ cup more if needed

• 2 cups water

• 4 tbs baking soda

• 1 tbs coarse salt for sprinkling on top

• 6 tbs salted butter, melted

Fillings

• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

• Egg wash:

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 tablespoon water

Toppings

• 2 tablespoons melted butter (optional)

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Filling

Combine the shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan in a small bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer until needed.

Pretzels

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and line a large baking sheet or two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine yeast with warm water and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with hook attachment. Once mixture becomes "frothy" your yeast is ready. Stir in salt, rosemary and 1 tbs of melted butter. Add flour 1 cup at a time until a dough forms and is no longer sticky. You may need more or less depending on temperature differences. If you press your finger into the dough and it bounces back, it's ready to knead. Knead dough for 5 more minutes until smooth and pliable. Form dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, prepare baking soda bath.

3. In a medium sized pot, boil 2 cups of water with 4 tbs of baking soda. Once the baking soda is mostly dissolved, take mixture off heat and allow it to come down to a lukewarm temperature. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish once cooled down.

4. In a small bowl combine the cheese, rosemary, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Set aside.

5. At this time, 15 minutes of dough resting time should be up. Take dough out of the bowl and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Cut dough into 8 sections (like a pizza). Roll each section out in a short rope then flatten with rolling pin to be about 4 inches wide. Remove cheese from freezer. Add 2 tablespoons of cheese filling evenly along the rope. Tightly roll the dough back into rope, jelly roll style, pinching the edges together.

6. Shape dough into pretzel shape and place in baking soda bath for 2 minutes. If the whole pretzel isn't covered by the water, spoon it on top of the areas is doesn't reach. Once the 2 minutes is up, carefully pick pretzel up either by your hand or with the help of a fork and place on prepared baking sheet. You may have to re-shape slightly. Sprinkle the pretzel with coarse salt while still wet (optional). Repeat these steps until all 8 pretzels are prepared and on the baking sheet(s).

7. Bake pretzels for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the top of each pretzel with melted butter, then sprinkle on topping. Eat at once!