Mediterranean Pull Apart Bread (Printer-friendly)
Soft golden bread loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta, and fresh herbs for sharing
# What you'll need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast
03 - 1 tsp sugar
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Mediterranean Filling
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
08 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
09 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ For Brushing
16 - 1 tbsp olive oil
17 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
# Method:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water and olive oil, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
02 - Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
03 - While dough rises, mix sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta, basil, parsley, garlic, melted butter, oregano, and black pepper in a bowl until well combined.
04 - Punch down the risen dough and roll out on a floured surface into a 12x16 inch rectangle. Spread the Mediterranean filling evenly over the entire surface.
05 - Cut the dough vertically into 4 equal strips, then stack the strips on top of each other. Cut the stacked strips into 6 equal pieces.
06 - Arrange the dough stacks upright in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise for 30 minutes.
07 - Preheat the oven to 350°F during the final rise period.
08 - Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, tenting with foil if browning too quickly.
09 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Nothing says welcome like warm, herb-scented bread that invites people to gather round and break bread together literally
- The Mediterranean filling creates these incredible pockets of salty, tangy goodness in every single pull
02 -
- The water temperature absolutely matters, too hot will kill your yeast and too cold will make it sleep through the whole party
- Tenting with foil at the twenty-minute mark saved more loaves than I care to admit from burning before the inside cooked through
03 -
- Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper for the cleanest cuts through those stacked layers
- Room temperature ingredients for the filling help everything distribute evenly without tearing the dough