Bakeries have long been morning gathering spots for customers buying coffee and pastries to start their day. More recently, bakeries have expanded their offerings to include sandwiches and pizza to draw a lunchtime crowd. It is possible that some customers may visit their local bakery twice a day, making bakeries largely responsible for that customer’s daily nutritional intake. As consumers become increasingly concerned about the healthfulness of the food they eat, bakers are responding. Whole milled pizzarolios will offer customers a delicious snack that features healthful ingredients.

In this particular formula for pizzarolios, which uses a roulade technique, ingredient choice is very important, and whole milled flour is key. Note the words whole milled rather than whole wheat. A kernel of wheat consists of three parts: the bran, the outer covering of the kernel; the germ, the innermost portion of the kernel; and the endosperm, the bulk of the kernel. White flour uses only the endosperm of the kernel, and the majority of mills in the United States are designed to produce white flour through a process of extraction. With this production method, whole wheat flour is produced by adding a portion of bran back into the endosperm after the components have been milled separately.

1. After mixing, sheet the dough into a 16-in. by 8-in. rectangle that is about 1/8 in. thick. Spread pesto over the dough, leaving a bare strip about 1 in. wide along one side. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts over the pesto.	2. Brush the 1-in. bare border with water. Begin rolling the rectangle from the covered edge to the bare edge. Once completely rolled, gently press the bare edge to the roll to seal.
3. Cut the roulade into 12 equal pieces and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush lightly with egg wash. Proof and brush again with egg wash.	4. You may want to sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top of some of the pizzarolios before baking. Bake the pizzarolios at 375°F for 17 minutes.

To produce a whole milled flour, the endosperm, bran and germ are milled together from beginning to end. In the traditional milling method, efforts are made to recoup the nutrients lost during separation of the grain components by spraying vitamins and minerals onto the flour after processing (i.e. enriched flour). But this results in only about half the removed nutrients being replaced.

Whole milled flour provides the natural form of all the nutritional elements of the wheat grain or berry. The bran of the berry not only has a very high fiber content but also substantial minerals and some vitamins. The germ, although comprising the smallest proportion of the berry, is the most nutritious component, containing various vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, anti-aging properties and elements that lower cholesterol and promote healthy heart function and healthy skin. In addition to these health benefits, whole milled flour also offers the protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and soluble fiber contained in the endosperm of the berry.

While whole milled flour may offer healthful benefits, products featuring it still have to be flavorful. Most people have an intellectual instinct to eat things that are good for them, but if a food doesn’t have flavor appeal, chances are they will not keep eating it, no matter how healthful it is. This formula for pizzarolios, which features pesto, Parmesan cheese and walnuts, will guide you in making a snack that is delicious and that your customers can viscerally enjoy. The formula doesn’t include pesto, cheese or nut amounts, so use your own discretion as to what will work for your customers. Or you can use completely different fillings to target time of day, season or audience.

Whole milled wheat pizzarolios

Final dough method: In a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, incorporate all ingredients on low speed for about four minutes. Mix on high or second speed for four minutes until an improved mix is achieved. Final DDT is 75°F, rest for one hour at 75°F. Fold the dough, and rest for one more hour at 75°F.

Finishing: Roll out the final dough into a 16-in. by 8-in. rectangle about 1/8 in. thick. Spread pesto, to taste, over the dough leaving a bare strip of dough 1 in. wide along one of the long sides of the rectangle. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts evenly over the pesto, leaving the bare border free of ingredients. Brush the bare border of the dough with water, and starting from the covered side of the dough, gently roll it into a roulade 16 ins. long. Press gently to seal. Cut the roulade into 12 equal pieces. Place the pieces cut side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan, making four rows of three pastries each. Brush the rolls lightly with egg wash. Proof at 85°F (29°C) for one hour. Lightly brush the rolios with egg wash again. Bake in a 375°F (191°C) convection oven until lightly browned, about 17 minutes.

Craig Ponsford began working in the culinary world at the age of 14. He graduated from the California Culinary Academy with top honors and opened his own bakery in 1992. In 1996 his breads won the gold medal at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris. He then went on to coach the U.S. team to victory in 1999. He also served as a judge at the 2002 and 2005 Coupe du Monde and 2007 Louis LeSaffre. Ponsford was an early member of the Bread Bakers Guild of America and has volunteered as the Guild’s chairman for the past eight years. In his teaching at various culinary institutions and in his international consulting for product development and systems optimization, he emphasizes quality of ingredients, techniques and product.