Savory Pesto Babka
If you’re thinking of adding a different kind of bread to the holiday table this year, I recommend this beautiful savory babka with pesto filling. It pairs wonderfully with appetizers, soups or simply as a substitute for bread (it’s much, much better than plain bread) alongside the main course. The dough is fabulously fluffy, and the filling is aromatic and delicious.
For this recipe, I used ramps pesto, but I promise it’s just as tasty with basil pesto.
Pesto Babka
This Pesto Babka is a savory twist on the classic sweet bread, featuring a fluffy, golden dough swirled with aromatic pesto. Perfect as a show-stopping addition to your holiday table.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 350 g flour add more flour later when shaping the buns
- 10 g dry yeast or 20g (¾ oz) fresh yeast
- 50 g sugar
- 100 ml warm milk you can also use vegetable milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 eggs 2 for the dough and one for the final brushing
- 200 ml yogurt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp poppy and sesame seeds
For the filling:
- 150 g basil pesto or ramps pesto
- 20 g fresh yeast
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, sugar and warm milk and let it activate for 10 minutes.
- Put the flour in a bowl and mix with the milk, yeast and sugar.
- Add 2 eggs, yogurt and oil.
- Knead until the dough becomes homogeneous (it will still be soft and slightly sticky).
- Cover and let the dough rise for about an hour.
- Knead again for about 2-3 minutes and cover to let the dough rise for another 30 minutes.
- Once it has risen for the second time, roll the soft dough out lightly with your hands on a well dusted surface, or use a rolling pin (the dough will still be quite soft, but will be easier to handle with the flour). You should end up with a 1-1.5cm (1/3-1/2 inch) thick sheet.
- Spread your favorite pesto sauce, either basil or ramps, over the entire surface of the dough and gently level with a spoon. Then roll it up tightly from one end to the other.
- Using a sharp knife cut the rolled dough in 2 lengthwise, as in the picture below.
- Then braid the two halves around one another.
- Quickly transfer to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and let it rise in the pan for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F.
- Once the dough has risen in the pan, brush all over with the last beaten egg. Bake for about 1 hour at 170°C/340°F or until the babka has risen, become firm, and has a firm brown crust on the surface.
- Leave to completely cool before slicing. You can keep it fresh tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, wax paper or aluminum foil.
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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