Name: Gata with apricots and nuts
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 70g caster sugar; 80g unsalted butter softened; 1½ tsp fine salt; 160g greek yogurt; 1 egg; 280g plain flour plus extra for dusting; 7g fast-action dried yeast; ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 40g unsalted butter melted; 50g toasted walnuts chopped into pea-sized pieces; 40g dried unsulphured apricots chopped into pea-sized pieces; 20g mixed seeds toasted; 2 tbsp plain flour; ¼ tsp fine salt; ¼ tsp almond extract; 1 egg beaten, to glaze

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DOUGH

70g caster sugar
80g unsalted butter
softened
1½ tsp fine salt
160g greek yogurt
1 egg
280g plain flour
plus extra for dusting
7g fast-action dried yeast
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

FILLING

40g unsalted butter
melted
50g toasted walnuts
chopped into pea-sized pieces
40g dried unsulphured apricots
chopped into pea-sized pieces
20g mixed seeds
toasted
2 tbsp plain flour
¼ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp almond extract
1 egg
beaten, to glaze

Method

step 1
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Stir in the salt, yogurt and egg, then tip in the flour, yeast and bicarb. Bring it together as best you can (it will be a little sticky), adding a little more flour if necessary, then tip out onto a clean worksurface and knead a few times until the stickiness is gone.
step 2
Flatten out the dough into a 22cm disc and put onto a dinner plate. Let it rest, covered, at room temperature for 25 mins, then transfer to the fridge for 1 hr.
step 3
Meanwhile, make the filling. Put all the ingredients, apart from the egg, in a bowl and combine well with a spoon to form a textured paste.
step 4
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Remove the dough from the fridge, roll it out into a 25cm disc and put the filling in the middle, leaving a 5cm border around the edge. Bring the sides up, gradually folding into the centre, making a money bag shape, until the filling is covered. Flatten it shut using your palm, then turn over onto the baking sheet so the sealed side is underneath. The gata should be about 15cm in diameter. Gata are usually decorated – I use the back of a fork to make some criss-cross lines though, once baked, they do tend to disappear a little.
step 5
Glaze well with the egg and bake for 25-30 mins or until deep golden all over. Allow to cool before serving.