A crispy crust, fluffy homemade dough, and a filling of ham, cheese, eggs, or vegetables make these pocket sandwiches a practical snack for the whole family. They’re perfect for trips, work, school, or as a simple dinner.
The dough only needs to rise for 45 minutes, then you divide it into eight parts and shape the pockets. After baking and cooling, you can fill them as you like. Finished pockets can be made in advance, stored for several days, or frozen.
What You’ll Need
For the dough:
- 250 g plain flour,
- 250 g semi-coarse flour,
- 21 g yeast,
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar,
- 2 teaspoons salt,
- 150 ml milk,
- 50 ml melted butter,
- oil for brushing the dough,
- 1 egg for brushing,
- sesame seeds for sprinkling.
The original recipe doesn’t specify the exact amount of oil and sesame seeds, so use as needed.
For the filling:
- ham to taste,
- cheese to taste,
- boiled eggs to taste,
- vegetables to taste.
The original recipe doesn’t specify the exact amount of filling ingredients, so adjust according to the number of sandwiches and your chosen combination.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the dry mixture: In a large bowl, mix together the plain and semi-coarse flour. Add the yeast, granulated sugar, and salt, and combine all the dry ingredients evenly.
2. Preparing the liquid part: Gently heat the milk, but do not let it boil. Add the melted butter and stir briefly to create a uniform liquid mixture.
3. Making the dough: Pour the milk and butter mixture into the flour mixture and knead into a smooth dough. Work it until all ingredients are combined and the dough is smooth.
4. Proofing: Cover the bowl with the prepared dough with a clean tea towel. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes so it increases in volume and the finished pockets will be nice and fluffy after baking.
5. Dividing the dough: Divide the risen dough into 8 equal parts, each should weigh about 112 g. Shape each piece into a smooth ball.
6. Shaping the pockets: Roll each ball into a flat round and brush the surface with oil. Fold the round in half, then fold again to form a pocket shape.
7. Brushing and baking: Brush the shaped pockets with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 35 minutes at 180°C until golden on top.
8. Cooling and filling: Let the baked pockets cool, then carefully cut them open. Fill with ham, cheese, boiled eggs, vegetables, or other ingredients to taste and serve immediately.
How to Vary Pocket Sandwiches
If you want a more flavorful dough, you can add dried oregano or rosemary. Classic ham can be replaced with grilled chicken or leftover roast, so you can easily adapt the pockets to whatever you have on hand.
You can also make sweet versions. For the filling, use quark, chocolate, or jam. Add the sweet filling only after baking and cooling the pockets, just like with the savory version.
How to Store the Pockets
Finished pockets will keep for several days, making them great for preparing ahead. Choose the filling depending on when you plan to serve them. You can also freeze the baked pockets and fill them after thawing.
Final Tip
For trips, school, or work, fill the pockets so they’re easy to carry. For example, combine ham with cheese and vegetables, or boiled egg with cheese. Thanks to the neutral dough, they go well with many savory and sweet fillings.
