Yummy Pesto Bread

In the mood for Pesto, but looking for something different from your everyday pesto pasta? This happens to me often, and I think I have found a solution, Pesto Bread!

Yummy fresh pesto bread!
I stumbled upon this wonderful idea on Pinterest several months ago and forgot about it until today. I was searching through my previous pins to see if anything caught my eye and sure enough there was the pesto bread. I clicked on it and to my dismay the recipe was in Turkish. Google has a decent translator, but not good enough to convey Pelin Chef's ingredients properly. I have made enough quick breads to know the basics, but I am never confident enough to just go with my gut. So, I did a quick Google search and found a great recipe at JasonandShawnda.com, which I took and adapted to agree with my taste buds.

I apologize in advance for not having any pictures of the process. I was almost done with the whole process before I thought to take pictures. If you would like them let me know. Until then, JasonandShawnda.com has a pretty good picture tutorial. I did, however, change the last few steps, so the two will look different when completed.

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup of warm water
  • 2 teaspoons of instant yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups of wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (I used Annie's Naturals Roasted Garlic Olive Oil)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup pesto (about 6 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
The dough wreath covered in Parmesan
Directions:
  1. Measure out the 1 cup of warm water and keep it in the measuring cup
  2. Add the 2 teaspoons of instant yeast to the warm water and stir them together. Allow the yeast to sit for 10 minutes. It should foam, or swell, during this time. If it does not, your yeast is probably bad
  3. Combine the 2 1/2 cups of wheat pastry flour with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the 1 teaspoon of salt in a stand mixer
  4. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture
  5. Attach the kneading hook to the mixture and knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
  6. Roll the dough into a ball, grease the mixer bowl, put the dough back in the bowl and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size
  7. Flour your work surface and roll the dough out into a 18x12 inch rectangle
  8. Spread the 1/2 cup of pesto on the top of dough rectangle, leaving about 1/2 inch to a 1 inch border
  9. Roll it up, like you would a sleeping bag (it will be long and cylinder like when you are done)
  10. Take the cylinder and create a circle/wreath, attaching the two ends together
  11. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over the top of the dough wreath
  12. Preheat oven to 425
  13. Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes
  14. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the top browns
  15. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, slice it, and serve

Enjoy the yumminess!!

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