Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Garland Bread
Very festive, family-style and intense flavored Homemade Bread
Posted By Savita
Very festive and homey, gutsy and intense flavored, this beautiful bread is a must bake for family and friends during holidays. Today, I am sharing Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Garland Bread. This beautiful looking bread gets its name from garland like shape. Garland Bread is perfect family style bread, tear and share with a bowl of warm soup and spend prefect family evening!!
Not only home bread making is fun, it is also healthy to choose all good bread ingredients for your family. Like, I never prefer bread flour for home baking (though I have heard a lot of praise of good quality results.) My old-fashioned unbleached all-purpose flour does all the magic for me and also one less container needed for storing bread flour plus satisfaction of sticking to the basics.
Traditional garland bread will have a hollow center and garland of small round spirals filled with pesto around it. My version does not have a hollow center since bread poof and risen so well it consumed all hollow space from the center. Next time, for a perfect hollow center, I will make a longer circle and cut small size spirals. Looks aside (though from my angle bread is looking gorgeous), bread tasted very delicious. It was very nutty and aromatic, tasted almost like slow roasted red meat filled in a bread pie. I am not exaggerating here, I never thought baked sun-dried tomato and walnut pesto can smell and taste so heavenly and truly addictive.
This bread can stay good for 2 days but we finished it very quickly (almost the same day). I am due to make it again, will post a better looking garland the next time (hopefully!). You can also use basil pesto or spinach walnut pesto for filling. However, I am thinking to use sun dried tomato pesto again.
Not only home bread making is fun, it is also healthy to choose all good bread ingredients for your family. Like, I never prefer bread flour for home baking (though I have heard a lot of praise of good quality results.) My old-fashioned unbleached all-purpose flour does all the magic for me and also one less container needed for storing bread flour plus satisfaction of sticking to the basics.
Traditional garland bread will have a hollow center and garland of small round spirals filled with pesto around it. My version does not have a hollow center since bread poof and risen so well it consumed all hollow space from the center. Next time, for a perfect hollow center, I will make a longer circle and cut small size spirals. Looks aside (though from my angle bread is looking gorgeous), bread tasted very delicious. It was very nutty and aromatic, tasted almost like slow roasted red meat filled in a bread pie. I am not exaggerating here, I never thought baked sun-dried tomato and walnut pesto can smell and taste so heavenly and truly addictive.
This bread can stay good for 2 days but we finished it very quickly (almost the same day). I am due to make it again, will post a better looking garland the next time (hopefully!). You can also use basil pesto or spinach walnut pesto for filling. However, I am thinking to use sun dried tomato pesto again.
Total Time:
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Cuisine:
American
Category:
Bread
Difficulty:
Easy
Yields:
1 Garland Bread
Serves:
4
Ingredients
- Walnuts Filling
- 1/2 Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes
- 1/2 Cup Walnuts
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil (plus 1 tbsp for dough)
- 2-3 Garlic
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 tsp Salt and Black Pepper
- Bread Dough
- 2 & 2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour (2 cups + 2/3 cup)
- 2 & 1/2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 to 2 tsp Thyme (you can also use rosemary)
- 1 & 1/4 Cup Water (lukewarm water)
Directions
-
1. For the Dough - Spread yeast and 1 pinch sugar in ½ cup lukewarm water and let it foam up for 10 minutes stir once in between. In a mixer with dough hook attached, add olive oil, chopped thyme, remaining 3/4 cup lukewarm water, yeast mixture, salt and sugar. Add 2 cups flour. Knead till sticky dough forms. Now add 1/3 cup flour at a time till dough comes together and make slightly sticky ball (about 5 minutes) At this stage knead for additional 4-5 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turn upside down, so that dough is completely covered with oil and leave covered for 20 minutes. -
2. For the Filling - In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, coarse chopped sun dried tomatoes, walnuts, Parmesan cheese and work until coarsely chopped. -
3. For the Filling - With the blades running, add the oil until pesto comes together. Season with salt and pepper (per taste) and transfer the pesto mixture to a bowl and leave aside. -
4. Brush a baking sheet with oil. Transfer the dough to baking sheet and gently press with oiled hands to make a rectangle (about 16X12 in). with a spatula, spread the pesto on the sheet leaving 1/2 inch space from all four sides. Starting with a long end, roll up an even cylinder. -
5. Running the length of roll, pinch the seam firmly together, do not seal the ends. Transfer the cylinder to a wide baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make a series of deep cuts around the ring. Pull the slices apart slightly-and twist them over to sit flat (as shown in picture) -
6. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in warm place until double in size (about 40 - 60 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F (220 C) -
7. Brush the loaf with oil and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 F and continue baking for 25 minutes until well browned. Transfer to wire rack and let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!!
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11 Responses
Savita
Thanks @Julie, walnut breads are my new favorite these days. Please check back for more bread recipes soon. Thanks for stopping by ChefDeHome, glad to know my Tomato and Walnut Garland Bread inspired you.