Recipe: Pesto Pull-Apart Bread (yeast bread using garlic, basil and Romano cheese)

PESTO PULL-APART BREAD

1 clove garlic
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pinch sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups very warm water, divided use
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1/2 tsp salt

Mince together garlic and basil leaves (e.g. in food processor with steel blade). Add Romano cheese. Place in small bowl and gradually whisk in oil, stirring constantly. (If using food processor, turn it on and drizzle in oil). Set aside.

Place a generous pinch of sugar and the yeast in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup warm water. Stir. Set aside for 5 minutes for yeast to foam up.

In large bowl, place 2 cups of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add yeast mixture, basil mixture and the remaining 1 cup of warm water; stir well. Gradually add 1 cup of flour. Stir to make a kneadable dough. It may still be sticky, but that's fine.

Turn onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Begin kneading process by throwing dough down on the board a dozen times, this way it will require less additional flour.) Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover bowl with towel and set aside in warm place for 1 hour.

Punch dough down and knead briefly. Divide dough into 14 or 15 balls and fit around the edge of a 14-inch greased round cake or pizza pan, or arrange them in a free-form circle, allowing a little room between balls for rising. Cover with a towel and let rise 30 minutes in a warm place.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

When dough has risen, place pan in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bread is done.

From Cath