Tomato Cheddar twists are a handheld cheese pizza, but so much better. You start with an herbed bread full of oregano, basil, rosemary and dried onions. Roll this out and spread on a little tomato paste and salt. Fold it over, cut and make a Tomato Cheddar Twist. Then top them off with grated Asiago cheese.

Who doesn’t want pizza for breakfast? Tomato Cheddar Twists are delicious and there is no mess. Having a pizza craving but you don’t want a full piece? Tomato Cheddar Twists are a quick grab for any hungry moment. This is a, make ahead and freeze, kind of a recipe. Warming them for breakfast is my favorite.

How to Make Tomato Cheddar Twists

1.  Make the herb bread.  When making bread, always start with fresh yeast.  Yeast comes in large 32 oz bags at Costco.  In the grocery store, you can find smaller quantities. There are 4 oz. brown glass jars and small 2 1/4 teaspoon packets of yeast.

My bag of yeast is a big Costco 32 oz. and I keep it in the freezer in a plastic bag.  I make so much bread it is economically smart for me to buy a larger bag of yeast.  I usually go through one bag every year.  

If you make bread every once in while, buying the small single serve packages probably will work best.  You can find these on the baking aisle.  They usually are sold in packets of three.  Each packet is only 2 1/4 teaspoons.  You will need to open two packets to get the full amount in this recipe.

Using fresh yeast is a secret to making great bread.

2. Pour the yeast into a stand mixer.  Pour the hot water over the yeast.  Then add the sugar.  Leave the yeast alone until the mixture starts to foam, usually about 3-5 minutes. 

The water temperature is very important when making bread.  Measuring the water with a thermometer is the best way to make sure it is the right temperature.  The water needs to be between 105° – 120°.  Water too cold will not activate the yeast and water too hot will kill it.

3.  Mix the spices, dried onions and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.  After the yeast foams start adding bread flour to the yeast. After adding 2 cups of flour,  add the spices, dried onions and salt to this mixture. The aroma that rises from the bread is astounding. *Story about herbed bread at the end of the post.

Now change the beaters to the kneading attachment. Add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time and continue to add the flour. When adding flour to bread it is important not to dump a whole cup of bread in the mixture at a time. Always add 1/2 cup of flour at a time, until all the of it is mixed in.  When the dough starts to pull away from the edge of the bowl, only add a little more flour.  Even if there is a lot more flour left in the recipe, do not add all of it. 

Different weather with moisture in the air creates different situations when making bread.  Some days you need more flour and other days you need less flour.  Pay attention to the dough and adjust the amount of flour depending on how the dough pulls away from the bowl.

Basil, Oregano, Rosemary and Dried Onions Creates a Signature Taste.

4.  Let the dough knead in the mixer for 5 minutes.  Kneading bread allows the gluten to develop and creates lighter bread that rises well.

5.  Spray a large bowl with vegetable spray.  Place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  It usually takes about 2 hours before the dough doubles in size.  

6.  After the dough doubles in size, take it out of the bowl and divide it into two balls of dough. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle, 20 x 15 inches.  

7.  Spread half of the can of tomato paste on half of the dough.  Sprinkle on the salt and sugar on top of the tomato paste.   Fold down the 20 inch side onto the tomato paste and it will form 8 – 10 inch long folded pieces.  

8.  Use a pizza cutter and cut 1 inch strips of dough.  Spray two cooking sheets with vegetable spay and then twist one folded piece of dough twice.  Then lay on the cookie sheet.  

9.  Brush olive oil on each piece of twisted dough. Sprinkle on grated Asiago cheese to your taste.  Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Here are a few products I like to use when making Tomato Cheddar Twists

When you purchase items from the Amazon links below, I receive a small commission.

Let me know on Instagram or Pinterest if you make this.  Post a picture and tag me @ dinasdiner.

*My family used to live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One of our favorite restaurants was Macaroni Grill. When we were seated at our table, a waiter would bring us the most wonderfully warm, straight out of the oven, herbed bread. Then the waiter would pour a plate full of the best extra virgin olive oil. We often would ask the waiter to doctor it up with balsamic vinegar and freshly grated parmesan cheese. The herb bread in this recipe is my version of this Focaccia. Now, focaccia is something completely different. The memory of this focaccia, straight out of the oven, is triggered when I add all the herbs to the dough of this herbed bread. My mind is filled with many happy memories eating pasta and delicious, warm, herbed bread.

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