Welcome to The Storied Recipe! I host a unique podcast where every guest gives me a recipe that’s significant to their culture, life, and memories. I make, photograph, and share the recipe with you. I invite you to listen to Danielle's story as you make her Pesto Rolls.
This Pesto Roll recipe was shared with us by my podcast guest, Danielle Ellis, a Read Bread Campaign Ambassador, Judge of the World Bread Awards, and private bread making teacher. So the first thing I can safely say is the recipe for these pesto rolls is *excellent*, informed by science and experience.
Personally, these pesto rolls hit all the right spots for me. The zip of fresh herbs, the saltiness of the Parmesan, and the richness of the oil permeated the perfectly soft dough and made for a rich and flavorful roll.
My family also loved the pesto rolls this tray vanished rapidly!
One word of warning, however. When Danielle shared this recipe on her blog, Severn Bites, she gives the option of layering the dough in a bread pan, where it will merge together and have a lovely swirled effect when cut. IF you, like some members of my family, have an intense sweet tooth and are used to buns of this shape being loaded with gooey sugar and cinnamon... you may be a little throw by this shape. In that case, I'd suggest just following her directions for baking this in a bread pan.
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Episodes Related to this Recipe for Pesto Rolls
Visit the episode post:
Ep. 058 Meet Danielle Ellis, Read Bread Campaign Ambassador,
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How to Contact Danielle Ellis
Instagram: @breadbakerdani
Website: www.severnbites.com
See the original Pesto Roll Recipe on Danielle's blog.
Recipe
Pesto Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 300 gr Strong white flour
- 180 ml Water
- 30 ml Rapeseed oil or extra virgin
- 7 gr Fresh yeast or 5 grams of instant yeast
- 6 gr Salt
Pesto
- 50 gr Herbs chopped your choice from: basil, chives, thyme, lemon balm, coriander or marjoram
- 50 gr Nuts, toasted (e.g. pine nuts, hazelnut, almonds or pistachios)
- 50 gr grated Parmesan cheese
- 100 gr Olive oil (approx)
- 1 clove Garlic
Instructions
Dough
- If you have a thermometer, check the temperature of the water. This water should be around 20°C (68°F). This will feel cooler than you would imagine.
- Weigh the flour out into the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if you are making it by hand. Add the salt and yeast keeping them well apart from each other.
- Add the oil and water.
- If using the stand mixer, mix on the lowest speed for 3 minutes, then increase to medium speed for a further 3 minutes. The dough should detach itself from the sides of the bowl. It will be smooth and elastic. It should be between 24 and 26°C (75 to 78°F)
- If mixing by hand, rub in the yeast then use a dough scraper to mix all the ingredients together and knead until smooth (about 10 minutes).
- Cover the bowl and set aside for one hour. Room temperature is fine. After an hour, if you are not ready to complete the bread, but your dough in the fridge, well covered. You can leave it there 8-12 hours.
Pesto
- You can use a food processor to make this or chop everything as finely as possible.
- Lightly toast your nuts and set aside to cool.
- Roughly chop the nuts, herbs and garlic, grate the parmesan and add to the processor bowl. Add approximately half of the oil and pulse until smooth. It will be very thick. Add more oil until it becomes a spreading consistency. Set aside.
Assembly
- Set your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
- After an hour, your dough will have risen and when prodded will be soft and any marks will disappear. If you’ve put it in the fridge, you can roll it out cold.
- Roll the dough out to about 3 mm 1/4 inch thick into a long rectangle. You will be rolling up the long edge. You’ll use this method for all the different options you can make.
- Spread the pesto all over the dough.
- Roll the dough up tightly into a long sausage. Place in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour. This will ensure both the filling and dough are the same temperature and will be easier to cut.
- With a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut slices that weigh 80 gr. You want them all to be the same weight. Set aside until you have cut the dough into equal pieces.
- To make the tear and share in a tin
- Place five slices of dough cut side up on the bottom of the loaf tin. Place four more buns on the top row avoiding placing them exactly on top. When proved, the rolls will merge into each other.
Savoury Rolls
- For savoury rolls, place the rolls a finger width apart in a circle, they will merge as they prove and bake.
For all options
- Brush the dough with beaten egg and leave for 45 minutes before baking. You’ll note how they have expanded.
- Brush the dough a second time with the beaten egg before placing in the oven. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden. Check after 15 minutes. If it is browning quickly, place a piece of baking parchment on top.
- Gently remove the bread from the tray when cooled a little and place on a serving platter. These are best served just warm.
Notes
- Make sure to listen to Danielle on The Storied Recipe Podcast, "Danielle Ellis: Real Bread Campaign Ambassador, World Bread Awards Judge, Bread Making Teacher" while you make her Pesto Rolls recipe!
Sophie says
hhhmmmm, I used a stand mixer and instant yeast for the recipe that makes 8 rolls. It didn't work at all, the yeast didn't even dissolve, it was just sitting at the bottom of the bowl after the 6 minutes of mixing. Maybe I did something wrong.... but i was very careful to follow the instructions exactly.