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1
Place flour, salt, oil, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl.
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2
Add water and, using a wooden spoon, combine the ingredients to form a dough mass.
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3
Tip dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1015 minutes, resting for 1 minute every 23 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
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4
Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until almost doubled in size.
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5
Tip dough onto work surface and gently deflate it by folding it back onto itself three or four times.
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6
Return it to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for a further 30 minutes.
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7
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
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8
Gently tip dough onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out to a 75cm x 15cm rectangle.
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9
Position the dough rectangle on the work surface with the long edge facing you.
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10
Sprinkle dough evenly with grated cheese, onion and strips of bacon.
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11
Fold top edge of dough slightly more than halfway down over the filling.
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12
Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush the folded dough surface.
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13
Then fold the bottom dough edge with its filling upwards to just cover the wet surface, so that the filling is now encased in dough.
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14
Lightly press down with the palm of your hand to seal.
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15
Lightly flour the sealed surface and roll the strip of filled dough over so the seam is on the bottom.
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16
Use your hands as guides to make sure the long strip of filled dough is nice and straight.
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17
Using a large chefs knife, cut the strip into 68 pieces.
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18
Place each piece onto the prepared baking tray, leaving approximately 3cm between each one.
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19
Brush the tops with water and sprinkle remaining 100g grated cheese evenly over the surface.
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20
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave to stand in a warm place for approximately 30 minutes.
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21
Ten minutes before this half hour is up, preheat your oven to 230C.
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22
Remove plastic wrap and place filled dough pieces in the preheated oven.
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23
Create steam by spraying the oven walls with warm water from a spray bottle, or throw some ice cubes in a preheated baking dish at the bottom of the oven.
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24
This will help the bread become crusty.
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25
Put the bread in too, and quickly close oven door.
