The plan was pesto swirl bread in flower pots, which I’ve enjoyed baking before, but half way through I reached for paper wrappers (typically used for kulich), and it all turned out delicious.
a simpler spring
Enjoy!
Pesto Bread
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 240 g bread flour or all-purpose (2 cups)
- 50 g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 packs active dry yeast each pack typically 7 g (2 1/4 teaspoons)
wet ingredients
- 236 mL water (1 cup)
- 236 mL buttermilk (1 cup)
- 59 mL olive oil (1/4 cup)
- 1 egg
additional to mix in last
- 312 g bread flour or all-purpose (2 1/2 cups)
toppings
- 190 g pesto homemade or store-bought (about 3/4 cup)
- fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.
- In a small saucepan over low heat (or large bowl in microwave) LIGHTLY warm water, buttermilk and olive oil. Making sure liquid is not hot to avoid curdling, add egg, mix well with wire whisk.
- Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, whisk well for 3 minutes or so.
- Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in additional flour a little at a time until all combined.
- Cover bowl with towel or greased plastic wrap, set in warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 176C/350F.
- Top with additional spoonful of pesto before baking, save some for serving.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow loaves to cool 20 minutes or so, remove wrappers and cool a few more minutes on wire rack. See notes.
- Once loaves are fully cooled and ready to serve, top with additional pesto and grated Parmesan.
Notes
Avoid slicing the loaves before they’re fully cooled. This particular cooling technique actually allows the bread to continue cooking even after the loaves are out of the oven.
You may also roll out the quartered dough before baking and spread the pesto on each quarter, then roll and bake, as typically done with cinnamon rolls.
