Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Easy Calabrian Italian Monkey Bread
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
30 minutes
35 minutes
2 hours 30 minutes
Serves:
10-12 servings
An easier take on Nadia's Calabrian Italian Monkey Bread from Great British Bake Off ™ Season 16. This weeknight version keeps the Calabrian heart — spicy 'nduja, pesto and a soft, herby pull-apart loaf — but trims five fillings down to a few, swaps the foraged wild garlic for an easy garlic butter,...
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Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH:
4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons SAF red instant yeast
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
FOR THE FILLINGS:
4 oz 'nduja (spicy Calabrian sausage spread)
4 oz mascarpone, room temperature
1/2 cup good-quality basil pesto (shop-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
FOR ASSEMBLY & FINISHING:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup grated Italian cheese (mozzarella and Parmesan)
Flaky sea salt, to finish
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
EQUIPMENT:
Large mixing bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook or bread machine (optional)
Electric whisk (or hand whisk)
Oven
Method
STEP 1: MAKE THE DOUGH
In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and dried oregano. In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm milk, olive oil, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix to a soft dough. Knead by hand for about 8 minutes, or with a stand mixer or bread machine dough hook for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
STEP 2: RISE
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
STEP 3: MAKE THE FILLINGS
While the dough rises, stir the 'nduja and mascarpone together until smooth and spreadable. Set the basil pesto and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes in separate bowls ready for filling.
STEP 4: MAKE THE GARLIC BUTTER
Melt the butter and stir in the minced garlic.
STEP 5: SHAPE AND FILL
Punch down the dough and divide into about 28 pieces. Flatten each into a small disc. Place a small teaspoon of filling in the center of each — alternating 'nduja-mascarpone, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes across the batch — then pinch the edges to seal and roll into a ball. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of pesto for finishing.
STEP 6: LAYER IN THE PAN
Brush a bundt pan generously with some of the garlic butter. Roll each filled ball in the remaining garlic butter and layer them in the pan, scattering some of the grated Italian cheese between the layers.
STEP 7: PROOF
Cover and leave to proof for about 30 minutes, until puffy.
STEP 8: BAKE
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Italian cheese. Bake for about 35 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through (internal temperature about 190°F). Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
STEP 9: FINISH
Drizzle the warm bread with the reserved pesto, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and scatter with fresh basil. Serve warm, pulling the pieces apart.
Instructions
FOR THE DOUGH:
4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons SAF red instant yeast
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
FOR THE FILLINGS:
4 oz 'nduja (spicy Calabrian sausage spread)
4 oz mascarpone, room temperature
1/2 cup good-quality basil pesto (shop-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
FOR ASSEMBLY & FINISHING:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup grated Italian cheese (mozzarella and Parmesan)
Flaky sea salt, to finish
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
EQUIPMENT:
Large mixing bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook or bread machine (optional)
Electric whisk (or hand whisk)
Bundt pan
Oven
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MAKE THE DOUGH
In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and dried oregano. In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm milk, olive oil, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix to a soft dough. Knead by hand for about 8 minutes, or with a stand mixer or bread machine dough hook for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
STEP 2: RISE
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
STEP 3: MAKE THE FILLINGS
While the dough rises, stir the 'nduja and mascarpone together until smooth and spreadable. Set the basil pesto and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes in separate bowls ready for filling.
STEP 4: MAKE THE GARLIC BUTTER
Melt the butter and stir in the minced garlic.
STEP 5: SHAPE AND FILL
Punch down the dough and divide into about 28 pieces. Flatten each into a small disc. Place a small teaspoon of filling in the center of each — alternating 'nduja-mascarpone, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes across the batch — then pinch the edges to seal and roll into a ball. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of pesto for finishing.
STEP 6: LAYER IN THE PAN
Brush a bundt pan generously with some of the garlic butter. Roll each filled ball in the remaining garlic butter and layer them in the pan, scattering some of the grated Italian cheese between the layers.
STEP 7: PROOF
Cover and leave to proof for about 30 minutes, until puffy.
STEP 8: BAKE
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Italian cheese. Bake for about 35 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through (internal temperature about 190°F). Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
STEP 9: FINISH
Drizzle the warm bread with the reserved pesto, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and scatter with fresh basil. Serve warm, pulling the pieces apart.
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