Pesto Bread

Tastes great fresh out of the oven. Also works well as leftovers, but this loaf never lasts long.

Dough

• 1 1/2 t yeast
• 4 c bread flour
• 1 1/2 t sugar
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 5/8 c milk
• 2/3 c water
• 2 T olive oil

Filling

• pesto
• pine nuts
• mozzarella

1. Add dough ingredients to bread machine in order according to manufacturer's directions using dough cycle.
2. When the dough is finished place on a lightly floured surface and let rest 10 minutes.
3. Roll out to a rectangle 10 inches long and about 3/4 inch thick. Spread pesto sauce over dough leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle pine nuts and cheese.
4. Roll lengthwise jelly roll fashion and tuck ends under. Place in a greased 10x4 inch loaf pan (or what have you, in my case an 8x8 on the diagonal). Cover and let rise 45 minutes.
5. Brush olive oil over the top and with a sharp knife score the top with four diagonal cuts. Repeat the cuts in the opposite direction. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Bake at 215C or 425F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
7. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Variations and Notes
When I searched online for recipes to use my leftover pesto, I also found this other recipe, without the milk and olive oil. I prefer a soft bread to a crusty one so haven't tried it yet.

Sept 2015 - used havarti instead of mozzarella, and butter instead of olive oil on the top. Dough was quite dry, so added water near end of machine's second mixing which wasn't in time, so reset it to start mixing all over again on the dough cycle.