Summer Caprese Pull-Apart Bread!

Ahh, the fading days of summer......  I'm trying to squeeze in all the things that haven't gotten done yet - freezing the always-delicious Ohio sweet corn; making the old-fashioned tomato jam that I soooo love; prepping a few more batches of fresh peaches for the freezer....the list goes on! On top of the "wanna-do's" are the "MUST do's" - we've got a new grandgirly due next week (this will make child #3 for our son and daughter-in-law!) This couple is also in the middle of selling a house and remodeling and moving into a new home, so we've been very busy assisting them in any way we can - ie: babysitting their boys, painting walls, cleaning, etc! Whew! In the midst of life's craziness, we celebrate the simplicity and the beauty this season brings- garden's bounty; warm, quiet summer evenings; the daily hum of the cicadas in the trees...... All of this will soon give way to the arrival of fall, with its blessings. 

This recipe just shouts of summer......in its beauty and in its deliciousness! Fresh red tomatoes, lovely green basil, savory garlic.......  Another wonderful thing about it is that its a one-rise bread! So you'll spend less time in the kitchen AND you'll get to nibble at it sooner! Enjoy this taste of summer! 

Summer Caprese Pull-Apart Bread!

Dough:

1 pkg/Tbsp. Red Star Platinum Yeast

½ Cup warm water

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 ½-2 ¾ unbleached bread flour

½ Cup milk, warmed

1 Tbsp. butter

1 ¼ salt

Add-ins:

A handful of fresh basil, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

½ Cup mozzarella cheese (I used shredded – you could cube it)

2 tomatoes (preferably Roma; You could just use the “meat” of a regular tomato-that’s what I had on hand J )

¼ Cup olive oil

1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

Place warm water, sugar and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 5 minutes. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. (Traditional first rise is not necessary in this recipe)

In a small bowl, combine the ¼ cup of olive oil, chopped basil and garlic. Divide dough into 36 small pieces. Grease a 9x5” bread pan ( I used one 7 ¼”x 3 ½” pan and a smaller 5 ½”x 3” pan – that way I have some to give away J ) . Dip the dough balls into the oil mixture and begin to fill the pan(s). Sprinkle  the mozzarella and some of the chopped tomatoes, then begin another layer and top with some tomato. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf pans you have chosen. Bake until golden. Remove from pan, place on wire rack and brush with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse kosher salt. Add a few extra fresh chopped tomatoes and fresh basil leaves, if you wish. Now, TASTE SUMMER!! 

Recipe adapted from Gather for Bread 

See more great bread creations at:  http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting

Summer Caprese Pull-Apart Bread!