This is a nice bread with any meal. Especially nice with pastas, a dipping bread with extra virgin olive oil and herbs, or use for bruschetta.

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: makes 2 loaves, about 8 slices each

Prep Time: about 15 minutes, bread rising about an hour   Cook Time: about 20 to 25 minutes  

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 cups Gold Metal Better for Bread or all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast
1 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
1/3 cup pesto
1/3 cup coarsley chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
1 beaten egg
shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

Directions

Mix 1 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in water until blended. Stir in pesto and tomatoes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll in flour to coat. Knead about 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until double. (If using quick active yeast, do not let rise 1 hour. ..cover and let rest on floured surface for 10 minutes.)

Grease a large cookie sheet. Roll dough into 16 x 12 inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Cut dough crosswise in half. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Taper ends slightly.

Place loaves 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Make 3 or 4 diagonal slashes, 1/4 inch deep, across tops of loaves with sharp knife. Cover and let rise in warm place 30 to 40 minutes or until double.

Heat oven to 350. Brush egg over tops of loaves. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Bread Machine Directions:
Use ingredients listed above – except use 3 cups Gold Metal Better for Bread flour, 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp room temperature water and 1 1/4 tsp. bread machine yeast. Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except tomatoes, egg, and cheese in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add tomatoes at the raisin/nut signal or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle. Remove dough from pan. Continue as directed above for shaping, rising, and baking.

Categories: Appetizers & Snacks, Bread Machine, Breads, Entertaining, Gift Basket Goodies, Other Breads, Presentation, Rolls, Special Diets, Special Occasions, Vegetable Breads, Vegetarian, Yeast Breads

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