Pesto and Tomato Bread

I had some pesto left over and decided to use it as a flavouring for my bread, in the dough and on top and the result was wonderful, soft, flavoursome bread...perfect for a picnic. so If you have any pesto left over then why not whip up this wonderful bread, perfect to serve if you have lots of guests and they can all help themselves :))

Pesto and Tomato Bread

Bread

250g Strong white bread flour

1 tsp salt

5g fast action yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Pesto (homemade or jar, but needs to be oily)

180ml water (lukewarm)

Topping 

1-2 tbsp pesto

5-6 cherry tomatoes

Add all the bread ingredients to a bowl and slowly add the water and mix to form a soft sticky dough.

Knead for 8-10 minutes and place in an oiled bowl and leave to prove in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hr or until doubled in size

Turn out very gently onto a lined baking sheet trying not to knock too much of the air out and shape.

Spread another 1-2 tbsp of pesto over the top (gently) and add the cut cherry tomatoes into the dough pushing them gently into the dough 

Leave to prove for about 45 minutes 

Pre heat the oven to 200/180c 

Make some dimples with an oiled finger and drizzle a small amount of oil over the top and some salt 

Place in the pre heated oven for around 15 minutes or until golden (this is a very moist bread so check the bread for colour rather than any hollow sound underneath like most breads)

And enjoy :)

Mini Meatball Pizza Muffin Cups

I love it when new ideas come to me, especially when the work haha and this really was a winner! I had been thinking about fun foods for kids and parties and taking something oridinary and putting a little spin on it and I came up with this...at first I wasn't sure whether it would work and crazily I attempted it for the first time on the morning of the Easter party, but thankfully it worked and they went down a storm, everyone loved them and were raving about them...so here's the recipe

Mini Meatball Pizza Muffin Cups

Pizza dough (please refer to my pizza dough recipe)

Meatballs
500g beef mince
35g pancetta or bacon (I used smoked bacon)
2 tbsp mascarpone
1 tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Tomato sauce
1 Onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp oregano
Plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp tomato purée
Salt and pepper to taste

Make up the pizza dough and leave to rise.

Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a food processor and then roll into small balls and place on a plate. Place in a fridge for about half an hour if you can but don't worry if you can't.
Heat a small amount of oil in a pan and fry the meatballs until browned all over and set aside

In the same pan heat some more oil and cook the onion until soft and golden.
Add the garlic, oregano and rosemary and fry for a minute more.
Add the tinned plum tomatoes and stir through and add the tomato purée and stir through with some salt and pepper.
Bring to the simmer, add the meatballs and simmer for around 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too dry, add some water as you will need a little sauce to fill the pizza muffin cups.

Pre heat the oven to 200/180c fan

Once the dough has risen and has about doubled in size, knock back and divide into 10 balls

Oil a deep muffin tin and place the balls into each hole

Spread the dough into the cup and spread up the sides. Spoon a few of the mini meatballs and sauce into the middle and continue with all the dough balls and meatballs

Place into the pre heated oven for about 15-20 minutes

Remove from the muffin tin carefully (if the tin was oiled well they should come out quite easily) and enjoy :)))))