Home > Breads and Muffins > Holiday Pesto Pull Apart Bread

Holiday Pesto Pull Apart Bread

Servings loaf

Prep Time2 hrs 25 mins

Bake Time25 mins

In a large bowl, mix together flour and water. Allow to rest for 45 minutes. This is a hands-off method to build gluten and it’s called autolyse.
Once the dough has rested, add salt and yeast on two separate sides of the bowl. Mix until well incorporated into the dough.
Let rest for 15 minutes.
Remove from the bowl and knead on a clean countertop (no added flour). Knead dough for 5-10 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Add dough ball back to bowl and cover for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Divide dough into two even balls. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Roll and stretch out each piece of dough into a triangle shape (about 16 inches long and 12 inches wide). Place onto parchment paper.
Spread pesto into a tree shape leaving about an inch from the edges. Sprinkle cheese on top of pesto and layer the second half of dough on top. Refine the shape by cutting off the sides.
Using a pizza cutter or knife, make horizontal slices about 1-inch apart from the top to bottom, leaving the middle “trunk” of the tree intact.
Pull the strips outwards and twist.
Top tree with a star made from leftover dough.
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle on sesame seeds.
Slide parchment paper with tree onto a large baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with more pesto or marinara.