Pesto Spiral
1 batch of bread dough, risen once.
Pesto, either homemade (see recipe below) or from a jar
Punch dough down, and knead lightly for one minute. Lightly oil a 14" pizza pan; set it aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 24" x 18". Spread on the pesto, leaving a 1" border. Starting from the long side, roll up jellyroll style and pinch the edges to seal them. Brush the edges of the dough with some milk if you have trouble getting the dough to stick. Using a very sharp knife, cut the dough into 24 rolls. Place the rolls, cut side down, arranging them in a spiral that starts in the center of the pan and works its way outward, overlapping each roll slightly on top of the one next to it. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls for 30 to 40 minutes or until they are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool slightly before serving--just place the pan in the center of the table and let people tear off rolls.
Pesto
2 cups fresh basil 4 Tbs. pine nuts or chopped almonds
2 cup fresh parsley 2 tsp. salt
4 cloves garlic 2 grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups olive oil
Place all ingredients except the cheese in a food processor---coarsely chop the basil by hand first if the leaves are large. Blend on high until you have a smooth purée, long enough for the nuts to be completely ground. Remove mixture from blender and place in a small bowl. Stir in the grated Parmesan. Add more salt to taste. This is more pesto that you will need for the rolls.
Notes
---I grow a lot of basil for the brethren, but mostly it foes into pizza sauce rather than pesto. The basil, parsley, and garlic absolutely have to be fresh for pesto to fulfill its culinary destiny---well worth the extra effort. If you can’t find (or can’t afford) pine nuts, either almonds or walnuts may be substituted, but not peanuts, and in extremis you may omit the nuts completely.
---You may substitute Romano or Asiago cheese for the Parmesan in pesto, but if you do, don't add salt until you've mixed in the cheese and tasted it. Asiago in particular may have enough salt without adding more.
---You can also bake these rolls on two smaller pans if that's necessary because of the size of your oven or your table. I've also arranged them in the shape of a flower, reserving a small ball of plain dough sprinkled with sesame seeds for the center.
1 batch of bread dough, risen once.
Pesto, either homemade (see recipe below) or from a jar
Punch dough down, and knead lightly for one minute. Lightly oil a 14" pizza pan; set it aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 24" x 18". Spread on the pesto, leaving a 1" border. Starting from the long side, roll up jellyroll style and pinch the edges to seal them. Brush the edges of the dough with some milk if you have trouble getting the dough to stick. Using a very sharp knife, cut the dough into 24 rolls. Place the rolls, cut side down, arranging them in a spiral that starts in the center of the pan and works its way outward, overlapping each roll slightly on top of the one next to it. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls for 30 to 40 minutes or until they are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool slightly before serving--just place the pan in the center of the table and let people tear off rolls.
Pesto
2 cups fresh basil 4 Tbs. pine nuts or chopped almonds
2 cup fresh parsley 2 tsp. salt
4 cloves garlic 2 grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups olive oil
Place all ingredients except the cheese in a food processor---coarsely chop the basil by hand first if the leaves are large. Blend on high until you have a smooth purée, long enough for the nuts to be completely ground. Remove mixture from blender and place in a small bowl. Stir in the grated Parmesan. Add more salt to taste. This is more pesto that you will need for the rolls.
Notes
---I grow a lot of basil for the brethren, but mostly it foes into pizza sauce rather than pesto. The basil, parsley, and garlic absolutely have to be fresh for pesto to fulfill its culinary destiny---well worth the extra effort. If you can’t find (or can’t afford) pine nuts, either almonds or walnuts may be substituted, but not peanuts, and in extremis you may omit the nuts completely.
---You may substitute Romano or Asiago cheese for the Parmesan in pesto, but if you do, don't add salt until you've mixed in the cheese and tasted it. Asiago in particular may have enough salt without adding more.
---You can also bake these rolls on two smaller pans if that's necessary because of the size of your oven or your table. I've also arranged them in the shape of a flower, reserving a small ball of plain dough sprinkled with sesame seeds for the center.