Pesto Pizza Bread

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 ounces freshly grated imported parmesan cheese
• 1 ounce freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• cornmeal
• 2 2/3 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 1 1/4 ounces dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (about) or 5 1/2 cups bread flour (about)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with
• 1 tablespoon water

Recipe

• 1 for sauce.
• 2 combine first 6 ingredients in processor or blender and puree, stopping machine as necessary to scrape down sides of container; pour into bowl.
• 3 stir in cheeses, cover and refrigerate.
• 4 (flavor is better if cheeses are grated and added just before using.).
• 5 for bread.
• 6 grease two 14-inch pizza pans or heavy bottomed baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• 7 oil large mixing bowl and set aside.
• 8 pour 2/3 cup warm water into another large bowl.
• 9 add yeast and sugar and stir until disolved.
• 10 let mixture stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• 11 stir in remaining water with olive oil and salt.
• 12 mix in about 5 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition, until dough comes away from sides of bowl.
• 13 sprinkle work surface with 1/2 cup remaining flour.
• 14 turn dough out onto surface and knead until dough is smooth, shiny and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• 15 transfer dough to oiled bowl, turning to coat all surfaces.
• 16 cover with towel and let stand in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 17 punch dough down, turn out onto floured surface and knead briefly into ball.
• 18 return to bowl, cover with towel and let stand in warm, draft-free area until doubled again, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 19 punch dough down;.turn out onto lightly floured surface.
• 20 divide dough in half;roll or pat each half into 14-inch circle.
• 21 transfer to prepared pans.
• 22 pinch up edges of dough to form shallow rim.
• 23 brush twice with egg mixture.
• 24 divide pesto sauce evenly between crusts.
• 25 let stand in warm, draft-free area for approximately 30 minutes.
• 26 preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• 27 bake until crusts are golden brown,about 20 to 30 minutes.
• 28 let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.
• 29 bread may be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for several hours after baking and cooling. to reheat, sprinkle with a little water, wrap in foil and warm in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
• 30 for variations,arrange slices of fontina, bel paese, mozarella or provalone cheese over pesto sauce before baking.