Pesto Cheese Bread

Pesto Cheese Bread is the perfect all-in-one appetizer. Pesto Cheese Bread is Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread dough combined with Spinach Pistachio Pesto and then kneaded with Parmesan Cheese. Furthermore, this bread is baked in a Dutch Oven with a crispy, golden crust, and tender interior. Finally, serve this bread as an appetizer to a meal, party, or holiday gathering, and enjoy!

Allergen Friendly

Pesto Cheese Bread is made using allergy-friendly ingredients. Furthermore, this recipe incorporates Sourdough Starter within the Pesto Cheese Bread. Incorporating Sourdough Starter and allowing the dough to ferment for 12+ hours, significantly reduces the gluten within the dough.

In addition, when choosing which kind of honey to incorporate into my baking, I always choose Raw Honey. Raw Honey has excellent health benefits, such as being an excellent source of antioxidants, antibacterial and antifungal properties, helping with digestive issues, and more.

Pesto Cheese Bread Ingredients

• Organic, All Purpose Flour
• Organic, Whole Wheat Flour
• Water
• Active Sourdough Starter
• Raw Honey
• Pink Salt
• Spinach Pistachio Pesto
• Parmesan Cheese

Making the Pesto Cheese Bread Dough

1. First, in a Bosch Universal Mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the cheese.
2. Next, turn the mixer on to a speed 4, and combine until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Then, turn off the mixer.
4. Next, form the dough into a ball and place it in a Banneton or lightly-oiled bowl.
5. Finally, cover the bowl with a damp tea towel (this helps keep the dough moist) and let it rise for 60 minutes.

Combine the Ingredients in a Mixer

The Bread Dough is Ready

Cover and Let it Rise

Kneading in the Cheese

1. After the dough has risen for 60 minutes, lightly flour a surface in your kitchen.
2. Next, take 1/2 c. of grated, Parmesan Cheese and knead it into the Pesto Bread dough.
3. Then, as the cheese becomes incorporated into the dough, dust another 1/2 c. of cheese onto the bread dough and knead the cheese in.
4. Finally, place the dough back into the Banneton or lightly-oiled bowl, cover it with the damp tea towel, and let it rise for another 4-6 hours.

Lightly Flour the Surface and/or Bread

Pour the Cheese on Top and Knead

Place Back into a Banneton or Lightly-Oiled Bowl and Let it Rise

Preparing and Scoring the Bread for Baking

1. First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place a Dutch Oven inside the oven. (You want to heat the Dutch Oven along with the oven for at least 30 minutes prior to placing the dough into the Dutch Oven).
2. Next, tear off a sheet of Parchment Paper and place it on the counter.
3. Then, place the risen bread onto the parchment paper.
4. Next, lightly dust the top of the bread with flour.
5. Finally, use a Bread Lame, or a sharp knife to score the bread (scoring the bread to create air pockets when the bread bakes).

Place the Bread on a Sheet of Parchment Paper and Lightly Flour

Score the Bread Using a Bread Lame

Baking the Pesto Cheese Bread

1. First, once the oven and Dutch Oven have been preheated, take the lid off, and slide the parchment paper with the bread on the top inside of the Dutch Oven.
2. Next, cover the Dutch Oven with the lid and place it into the heated oven to bake.
3. Then, reduce the heat to 430 degrees Fahrenheit (most ovens allow you to manually enter the oven temperature if you do not see 430 degrees as an option).
4. Next, bake the bread for 20 minutes, with the lid on at 430 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Then, take the lid off of the Dutch Oven, and bake the bread for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the exterior is golden brown.
6. Finally, remove the baked bread from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 20 minutes prior to slicing it.

Place the Pesto Cheese Bread Into the Dutch Oven

Bake the Bread

Let it Rest and Cool

Ways to Serve the Pesto Cheese Bread

This bread makes a delicious appetizer or party food. This bread can be served alongside Bread Dipping Oil or eaten by itself. Enjoy!

Recommended Products

Pesto Cheese Bread

Yield: 1 Loaf

Prep Time: 6 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes

Pesto Cheese Bread is the perfect all-in-one appetizer. Pesto Cheese Bread is Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread dough combined with Spinach Pistachio Pesto and then kneaded with Parmesan Cheese. Furthermore, this bread is baked in a Dutch Oven with a crispy, golden crust, and tender interior. Finally, serve this bread as an appetizer to a meal, party, or holiday gathering, and enjoy!

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c. Organic, All Purpose Flour
• 1 c. Organic, Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/4 c. Warm Water
• 1 c. Active Sourdough Starter
• 1 tbsp. Raw Honey
• 1 1/2 tsp. Pink Salt
• 1 - 1 1/2 c. Spinach Pistachio Pesto (this is purely a taste preference)
• 1 c. Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Instructions

Making the Pesto Cheese Bread Dough

1. First, in a Bosch Universal Mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the cheese.
2. Next, turn the mixer on to a speed 4, and combine until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Then, turn off the mixer.
4. Next, form the dough into a ball and place it in a Banneton or lightly-oiled bowl.
5. Finally, cover the bowl with a damp tea towel (this helps keep the dough moist) and let it rise for 60 minutes.

Knead in the Cheese

1. After the dough has risen for 60 minutes, lightly flour a surface in your kitchen.
2. Next, take 1/2 c. of grated, Parmesan Cheese and knead it into the Pesto Bread dough.
3. Then, as the cheese becomes incorporated into the dough, dust another 1/2 c. of cheese onto the bread dough and knead the cheese in.
4. Finally, place the dough back into the Banneton or lightly-oiled bowl, cover it with the damp tea towel, and let it rise for another 4-6 hours.

Preparing and Scoring the Bread

1. First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place a Dutch Oven inside the oven. (You want to heat the Dutch Oven along with the oven for at least 30 minutes prior to placing the dough into the Dutch Oven).
2. Next, tear off a sheet of Parchment Paper and place it on the counter.
3. Then, place the risen Pesto Cheese Bread onto the Parchment Paper.
4. Next, lightly dust the top of the bread with flour.
5. Finally, use a Bread Lame, or a sharp knife to score the bread (scoring the bread to create air pockets when the bread bakes).

Baking the Bread

1. First, once the oven and Dutch Oven have been preheated, take the lid off, and slide the parchment paper with the bread on the top inside of the Dutch Oven.
2. Next, cover the Dutch Oven with the lid and place it into the heated oven to bake.
3. Then, reduce the heat to 430 degrees Fahrenheit (most ovens allow you to manually enter the oven temperature if you do not see 430 degrees as an option).
4. Next, bake the bread for 20 minutes, with the lid on at 430 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Then, take the lid off of the Dutch Oven, and bake the bread for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the exterior is golden brown.
6. Finally, remove the baked bread from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 30 minutes prior to slicing it.

Notes

This bread makes a delicious appetizer or party food. This bread can be served alongside Bread Dipping Oil or eaten by itself. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 117Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g