Description
Pesto Star Bread is a visually stunning and delicious bread with layers of pesto and Parmesan cheese twisted into a beautiful star shape. Perfect for serving warm with marinara or seasoned dipping oil, this bread is soft, flavorful, and a showstopper for any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 cups All purpose flour, spooned & leveled (242 grams)
- ½ cup Instant mashed potato flakes (42 grams)
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar (27 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Warm whole milk at 115-120 degrees F
- 1 packet Instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
Filling
- ½ to ¾ cup Pesto, pre-made
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant mashed potato flakes, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Bloom Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the warm milk and instant yeast together and let it stand for 3 minutes to activate and bloom the yeast.
- Make Dough: Add the flour mixture and unsalted butter to the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft.
- First Rise: Lightly grease a mixing bowl with about ½ tablespoon vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it over to coat both sides with oil. Cover and let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Divide Dough: On a floured surface, divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Roll out one dough ball into a 10-inch round, thin but manageable.
- Layer Filling: Place the rolled dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread one third of the pesto evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edge.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat rolling out and layering the second and third dough balls in the same way with pesto and Parmesan, creating layers.
- Top Layer: Roll out the last dough ball into a 10-inch circle and place it on top of the layered dough rounds.
- Cut Star Shape: Place a 3-inch biscuit cutter in the center as a guide (do not press down). Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 16 strips from the edge of the cutter to the edge of the dough, making 8 pairs of strips.
- Twist and Shape: Remove the biscuit cutter. Twist each pair of dough strips in opposite directions 2-3 times, then pinch the ends together to seal. Use a little water if needed to help seal. Repeat for all pairs to form the star shape.
- Preheat Oven: Cover the shaped dough loosely with plastic wrap and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Egg Wash and Bake: Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the top of the star bread with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 to 19 minutes until the bread is golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Serve warm, optionally sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese or alongside pesto or marinara for dipping.
Notes
- Dough should be smooth and soft, not stiff, for perfect texture.
- Use warm milk at 115–120°F to best activate the yeast; warming time is about 30-40 seconds in a microwave or gentle stovetop heating.
- Measure flour accurately by weight or use the spoon-and-level method to avoid dense bread.
- Spread pesto lightly to prevent the layers from slipping during twisting.
- Twist dough strips gently to avoid tearing; pinch ends firmly for a secure shape.
- Bake until golden brown as color is the best doneness indicator.
- Best served warm with marinara sauce or seasoned dipping oil.
- This recipe uses fast-acting instant yeast; if using regular yeast, bloom first to ensure dough rise.
- Store leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature or refrigerate in humid climates; consume within 2 days for best freshness.
- Reheat chilled leftovers at room temperature for 20 minutes or microwave at 50% power for 1 minute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
