I decided to put a savory spin on my crowd-pleasing babka, and I'm so happy with how it turned out! The jam is a very easy, optional (but totally delicious) addition!
Ingredients:
For the Dough
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
A pinch of paprika
A pinch of cayenne pepper
A pinch of oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
For the Pistachio Pesto/Filling (You can also use your favorite store bought pesto):
4 cups fresh basil
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons toasted pistachios
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons water
4 Tablespoons olive oil
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1/4 cup parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the filling
For The Tomato Jam:
3 ripe roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon red chili flake ( less or omit if you don't want it spicy)
A pinch of paprika
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or lemon/lime juice)
Step 1: Warm the milk in the microwave for about 15 seconds, until it's just warm. If you've got a stand mixer with a dough hook, add the milk to the bowl of the mixer. Then add the sugar and yeast. Let the yeast bloom for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Mix together flour and salt. Once the yeast is bloomed, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Once the flour is a little bit incorporated, add your eggs one at a time and then the softened butter, and knead (medium low speed if you're using your mixer) for 10 minutes. You want the dough to be smooth and a tiny bit sticky.
Step 3: Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it proof in a warm place until it's doubled in size (at least an hour).
Step 4: While the dough is proofing ( about 45 minutes in), make the filling. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a thick paste forms,
Step 5: Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out to 14x18 inches. Spread the pesto evenly on the rectangle of dough, reserving 1 Tablespoon pesto on the side. Sprinkle parmesan cheese evenly over the surface of the pesto. Roll it up like a cinnamon roll. Spread the remaining pesto over the top of the roll.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350F. Fold the roll in half on itself then twist the two ropes together to make it swirled. Pop this into a greased 9x5 loaf tin and let it proof so it's a little puffy, for an additional 15-20 minutes while the oven heats up.
Step 7: Brush the loaf with egg wash, and pop it in the oven for 40-45 minutes until deep golden in color. Allow the loaf to cool for at least 25 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing. Enjoy!
To make the jam: sautee onion and garlic with oil on medium heat until just softened (about 5 minutes). Then add all other ingredients, adjusting to taste. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to a jam consistency.
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