This pull-apart bread with wild garlic pesto is not just a highlight in terms of flavor, but also looks truly impressive thanks to its unique shape. Instead of a classic loaf or springform pan, this bread is baked in portions in a cast-iron cornbread skillet. This creates individual, wonderfully fluffy pieces of bread with a golden-brown crust that can be taken directly from the pan and shared.
The savory wild garlic pesto runs through the individual layers of dough, providing a robust herbal aroma. Perfect as a side dish for grilling, for dipping, or as a hearty bread for a cozy evening by the fire.
Ingredients
For the yeast dough:
- 500 g wheat flour (Type 550)
- 300 ml lukewarm water
- 15 g fresh yeast or 1 packet of dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the filling:
- approx. 120–150 g wild garlic pesto
- optional 40–50 g finely grated Parmesan
- a little olive oil for greasing the cast-iron skillet
Instructions
1. Prepare the yeast dough: Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water. Place the flour, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl, add the yeast water, and knead for about 8–10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes, until its volume has increased significantly.
2. Roll out the dough: Roll the risen dough out on a lightly floured work surface into a rectangle about 5 mm thin.
Spread the wild garlic pesto thinly and evenly over it. Do not use too much pesto, otherwise the individual layers of dough may slide apart during baking. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan if desired.
3. Shape the folds: Cut the topped dough into strips that match the width of the individual segments of the cornbread skillet.
Then fold the strips in an accordion style. Depending on the size of the pan, divide the folded pieces of dough if necessary and place them loosely into the individual segments.
Important: Do not overfill the molds. The yeast dough will rise significantly during the second rest and while baking.
4. Let rise again: Lightly grease the cast-iron skillet with olive oil and place the folded portions of dough into it. Cover and let rest for another 20–30 minutes.
5. Bake the pull-apart bread: Prepare the grill for indirect heat at about 180–200 °C. Place the cornbread skillet in the indirect heat zone and bake the bread with the lid closed for about 25–35 minutes.
The exact baking time depends on the size of the dough pieces and the heat of the grill. The bread is done when it is evenly golden brown. If there is very strong bottom heat, do not place the pan directly over the coals, as the bottom might get dark before the dough is fully baked through.
Alternatively, the pull-apart bread can also be baked in the oven at 190 °C top/bottom heat for about 25–30 minutes.
Tip
After baking, let the pull-apart bread rest in the pan for about 5 minutes and then carefully remove it. It tastes especially delicious while still slightly warm.
Outside of wild garlic season, the recipe works just as well with basil pesto, parsley pesto, or a herb-garlic butter.
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