This twisted walnut-basil-pesto bread is a combination of two of my most popular recipes. It combines my famous Zopf Braided Bread with the tastiest walnut-basil-pesto you’ve ever had.
Perfect for guests
I love this bread when I have guests invited. It is such a perfect appetizer and goes perfectly with a glass of wine (or a mocktail).
It is easy, really!
I can understand, that you might think that this bread is very difficult to make because of the rather long instructions, but I can tell you it isn’t what it seems. You basically just make these 40 x 40 cm squares with the dough, put the pesto on top of it and roll them into rolls. Once these rolls are cut into halves there’s only one thing left to do: twist and twist and twist again… until you get the final bread which you then put on the baking tray. That’s it.
Fresh is always best, but…
This twisted walnut-basil pesto bread is best when it comes fresh out of the oven. So I recommend making it on the same day you have guests invited. If it’s too much work, then you can perfectly prepare it one day, or several days before and freeze it. Just defrost it over night, heat it up around 5-10 minutes in the oven until it get’s warm and crispy and then it’s ready to serve.
Please give this recipe a go, it is well worth the effort!
| Prep Time | 45 minutes |
| Cook Time | 50 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1400 gr white wheat flour
- 275 gr white spelt flour
- 4 tsp salt
- 50 gr fresh yeast
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 750 ml plantbased milk I usually use soy milk
- 250 ml olive oil
- 4 cups basil leaves
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3/4 cup olive oil preferably extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Ingredients
Bread
Basil-Walnut-Pesto
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- In order to make the bread dough follow the instructions for my "Zopf Braided Bread" Recipe. Once the dough has risen, continue with the instructions below "Forming the twisted bread".
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until you get a creamy, smooth pesto consistency.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC.
- Cut the dough into 2 equal parts for one rather big pesto bread, or into 4 equal parts for 2 medium pesto breads.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out each part into an aprox. 40 x 40 cm square.
- Place 2 heaped tablespoons of the pesto onto the square.
- Roll it up from one side, forming 1 roll.
- Cut this roll in half (lengthwise).
- Twist each half roll and put aside.
- Repeat step 2-6 with the other half of the dough, resp. the other 3 halves, if you make two breads.
- Now, once you have your 4, resp. 8 "twisted half rolls": Take 2 of these "twisted half rolls" and twist them into each other. Repeat with the remaining two.
- Then twist these 2 again into each other, forming the final bread. Place them on the baking tray.
- Repeat step 8 and 9 with the remaining 4 "twisted half rolls" in case you make 2 breads.
- Bake at 200ºC for aprox. 50 minutes. Check during the last 15 minutes if the pesto doesn't get too dark. If it starts burning, but the bread still needs a bit, then cover with some aluminium foil in order to avoid burning.
The steps sound more complicated than they really are. It is basically just cutting the dough into equal parts and then making the rolls and then just twisting them in each other until you finally form the bread. Just give it a go, it is not so difficult and I'm sure the bread will turn out fine!
This bread can also be prepared in advance and then frozen. The day you want to serve the bread, let it defrost over night and bake it for 5-10 minutes in the oven, so it will be crispy again.
Do you like this recipe? Feel free to share with your friends & family.
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Click on the links below in order to shop the ingredients or equipment used in this recipe.
SPELT FLOUR
NUTRITIONAL YEAST
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
MAPLE SYRUP
