Red and Green Pesto Star Braid Recipe – video tutorial

This is a sponsored post for HemisFares™ brand that is available exclusively at Kroger family of stores.  All opinions are honest and 100% my own

I love anything Italian, no seriously can’t think of a dish I don’t enjoy or even love! Pastas, fresh sauces, cheese, breads… gelato!!! It’s hard to go wrong with an Italian dish.  But I had no idea there was such a thing as RED pesto! It’s AMAZING!

When I was asked to create a recipe using this HemisFares Pesto I immediately thought of a bread. I was planning on creating a basic braid – but then I recalled this star bread and thought “perfect”.  So I ran to my local Smiths grocery store to pick up the Pesto and low and behold there was the classic green, and right next to it this red pesto! I had to get both and give them a try!

So the green pesto is made with classic ingredients like genovese basil, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, cheese and garlic – oh boy is it delicious! I thought I HAVE to make the bread with this one. THEN I tried the red pesto – with ingredients like cherry tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, basil and herbs and I fell in love.  I decided in the end to use a little of both, two red layers and one green.  But you can personalize this using one or the other or a mix like me.

The bread is of course impressive by itself – but using both colors really makes it pop.  And while it looks tricky it’s actually super easy to make! it’s 4 round layers of dough with the pesto in between – then a few cuts and twists and voila – a beautiful star bread everyone will rave about!

It was also a HUGE hit with my kiddos.  Seriously they finished it off in like 5 mins flat and then asked for another one.  Def going to be one we make over and over again! I probably could have eaten the whole thin myself I enjoyed it that much… But dang it all my kids could smell it coming out of the oven and all came running.

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Red and Green Pesto Star Braid Recipe - video tutorial

Prep Time

1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 45 mins

 

Servings: 16 wedges

Author: Ashlee Marie

Ingredients

• 1 C whole milk
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 C butter softened
• 2 1/4 C all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 jar Hemisfares Pesto or 1 of each to use both red - find 49 - and green - 50
• 1/2 C italian blend cheese
• 1 Egg slightly beaten
• Course salt optional

Instructions

1. In in your mixing bowl with a dough hook add yeast, sugar and warm milk (about 40 seconds in the microwave to get it to 110 degrees), let sit for 10 mins.
2. then add the butter, salt and 2 C flour and mix until the dough comes together and starts to clean the sides - add more flour if needed just 2 Tbsp at a time, don't add too much flour - you'll end up with tough dough.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and flip to coat both sides, then cover and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
4. punch down and divide into four equal balls.
5. Roll each ball out to 10-12 inches and use a plate cut circles.
6. spread the 1/3rd of the pesto onto a circle then 1/3rd of the cheese, repeat leaving the 4th final circle blank
7. place a 2 inch cutter or glass in the center of the circle - this is to mark where your NOT going to cut. cut the circle into 16 wedges
8. twist every two wedges the opposite direction then pinch together - repeat around
9. let rise 15 mins
10. preheat oven to 400
11. brush with the beaten egg, sprinkle on salt if desired
12. bake 15-18 mins

For more information on HemisFares you can check out the website HemisFaresFinds.com or facebook.com/Hemisfares. The