Pesto Rye Bread
Prep
30 mins
Cook
45 mins
Servings
8
Difficulty
Medium
A rustic, hearty rye bread swirled with vibrant basil pesto, creating a fragrant loaf with beautiful green veins and robust nutty flavour. Perfect for sandwiches or serving alongside soups and stews.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 350 grye flour
- 200 gstrong white bread flour
- 380 mlwarm water
- 7 ginstant yeast
- 10 gsea salt
- 80 gfresh basil(packed)
- 60 gpine nuts
- 3garlic cloves(peeled)
- 150 mlextra virgin olive oil
- 50 gparmesan cheese(grated)
- 15 mllemon juice
- 3 gsalt for pesto
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Combine rye flour, white bread flour, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in warm water and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Tip: Rye dough will be slightly stickier than regular bread dough, so don't add extra flour.
- 2
Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes until doubled in size.
Tip: A warm windowsill or turned-off oven works well for proving.
- 3
While the dough rises, prepare the pesto. Blend together basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, lemon juice, and salt until coarse. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while blending until you reach a spreadable consistency.
Tip: Reserve a small amount of pesto to brush on top of the loaf before baking for extra flavour and colour.
- 4
Turn out the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently flatten it into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.
Tip: Handle the dough gently to retain the air bubbles that developed during proving.
- 5
Spread the prepared pesto evenly across the dough, leaving a 2 cm border on all sides. Roll the dough tightly from one long edge towards you, sealing the seam by pressing gently.
Tip: Don't overfill or the pesto may leak out during baking. A light hand is best.
- 6
Place the rolled dough seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Shape it into an oval loaf. Cover loosely and let it prove for 45 minutes until puffy.
Tip: The second proof should be shorter than the first since the dough is already well-developed.
- 7
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Brush the top of the loaf with reserved pesto and use a sharp knife to score three diagonal slashes across the top.
Tip: Scoring helps the bread expand evenly and creates an attractive finish.
- 8
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Tip: For a crispier crust, spray the inside of the oven with water three times during the first 15 minutes of baking.
- 9
Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Tip: Cooling allows the interior to set properly and makes slicing cleaner.
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