Cheesy Pesto Pull-Apart Bread
All the wonderful qualities of a fluffy, soft dinner roll, but with cheese inside and handmade pesto on top! You can use our Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Rolls to make a festive wreath or Christmas tree, or you can just eat them as an appetizer or savory side dish straight out of the pan!
Yield: 21
Materials
Rolls
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 10 g
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour 415 g
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese 6.5 oz freshly shredded
pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil without stems 1.5 oz, about a 3 oz package
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese .5 oz
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup hazelnuts lightly toasted 40 g or 1.4 oz
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine sugar and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir. Top with the yeast and let stand until bubbling, about ten minutes.
- Add butter and mix on low speed with the dough hook. One cup of flour at a time, adding and mixing until all the flour is included and a moist, sticky dough forms.
- Transfer dough to a clean surface that has been lightly floured. The dough has a hint of stickiness. Work into a ball after a few kneadings.
- Place the ball into a big bowl that has been oiled (we like to use our misto for this) and then cover it with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- In the meantime, combine all of the pesto's components in a food processor or blender. Until creamy, blend. If a looser consistency is what you're after, add one tablespoon of water.
- If you're not shaping it into a tree or wreath, grease a big baking pan or a 9 x 13 baking dish. Put away.
- Cut the dough into 21 equal-sized pieces, each weighing between 1.2 and 1.4 ounces, using a kitchen scale. Use this to form the shape of a tree or wreath; refer to the recipe notes if baking in a baking dish.
- Using your palm, carefully spread each piece of dough open. Using your free hand, remove a little amount of cheese and place it in the middle of the dough. Pinch the dough closed by gently folding the edges up around the cheese. Place in pan or dish with seam side down, leaving about 1/2 inch between each to allow for rising. Continue with every dough ball. (For reference, view the photographs in the post.)
- After gently covering with a fresh kitchen towel or linen, allow it to rise for an additional thirty minutes.
- Set the oven's temperature to 350.
- Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese into the dough ball corners once they have risen once more. Apply a thick layer of pesto to the tops of the rolls and the corners using a silicone brush. Feel free to use as much pesto as you like—a minimum of 1/2 cup and a maximum of 1 cup.
- Add the last of the mozzarella cheese to finish.
- Bake the cheese for 20 minutes, or until it is browned and melted.
- Present and savor!
Notes
There is around one nutritious value per every roll.
For the greatest melt-worthy cheese, shred it yourself! Shaping
For the greatest melt-worthy cheese, shred it yourself! Shaping
- Forming Christmas Tree: 21 dough balls will yield a decent-sized tree in this shape. 21 may also be used to make a circular wreath with two layers.
- Baking Dish: To avoid the festive form, simply bake the rolls in your preferred 9 x 13 baking dish exactly like you would ordinary rolls, but with a larger ball size of around 2 to 2.4 oz, which will yield about 15 rolls.
- Flour: This recipe can also be made with bread flour.
- You may also use unsalted butter. Just give the dough a little extra salt.
- Sugar: Two tablespoons of honey can also be used.
- Pesto: You may also use any favorite store-bought pesto or homemade pesto that you have in your freezer. Use between 1/2 and 1 cup.
- Hazelnuts: Walnuts or pine nuts can also be used.
- We love using mozzarella cheese in this dish, but cheddar works just as well. It has the finest cheesy pull.