Pull-Apart Bread with Herbs, Cheese, and Roasted Garlic
Yield: 1 loaf / 8 mini loaves / 12 muffins
Bread:
3 cups of flour
1 cup of warm water
1 packet of yeast
1/3 cup of sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Filling:
1 bulb of roasted garlic
3/4 cup of fresh herbs
3/4 cup of cheese
2 Tbsp butter, melted (to brush on dough before adding the filling)
# Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and set aside for a few minutes (until foamy). Add butter and salt to the yeast mixture, then sift in flour 1 cup at a time, until dough forms. Turn out on a floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, until dough is smooth. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with saran wrap or a damp towel, and set in a warm area for about an hour, or until doubled.
# While dough is rising, roast your garlic. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop the top of the bulb off (just enough to expose all of the cloves). Rub with olive oil and bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until garlic is soft. Remove from the oven and let cool, then squeeze out all of the cloves.
# Punch down dough and turn out on a well-floured surface. Knead a few times, and then let it rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, dice herbs and garlic, grate cheese, and melt the butter. Roll dough out into a large rectangle, somewhere between 1/4 and 1/8 of an inch thick. Brush butter over the entire surface of the dough, then cover evenly with the filling.
# Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into squares. Use your best judgment for size, depending on the type of pan you are using. Stack slices and place in a greased tin/pan. Cover and let rise for another 40 minutes.
# Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake: mini loaves for 20–25 minutes / muffin tin loaves for 15–18 minutes / 1 full loaf for 30–35 minutes (or until tops begin to turn golden brown).