Zesty Pesto-Tomato Baguettes

By melanieroe

Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 2 hours 35 min
Makes: 2 loaves (8 slices each)

Nutrition Information:
1 Slice: Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 35); Total Fat 4g (Saturated Fat 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 270mg; Total Carbohydrate 21g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 2g); Protein 4g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 2%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Ingredients

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups Gold Medal® Better for Bread™ flour or Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 package regular active or fast-acting dry yeast
• 1 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
• 1/3 cup basil pesto
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained
• 1 egg, beaten
• Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from bettycrocker.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. In large bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in water until blended. Stir in pesto and tomatoes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
2. Place dough on lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Knead about 8 minutes or until smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover; let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. (If using fast-acting yeast, do not let rise 1 hour; cover and let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.)
3. Grease large cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 16x12-inch rectangle. Cut dough crosswise in half. Beginning at 12-inch side, roll up each half of dough tightly. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Taper ends slightly.
4. Place loaves 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Make 3 or 4 diagonal slashes, 1/4 inch deep, across tops of loaves with sharp knife. Cover; let rise in warm place 30 to 40 minutes or until double.
5. Heat oven to 375°F. Brush egg over tops of loaves. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool.

Bread Machine Directions: Use ingredients listed above—except use 3 cups Harvest King® bread flour, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons room-temperature water and 1 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast. Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except tomatoes, egg and cheese in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add tomatoes at the raisin/nut signal or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle ends. Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycles. Remove dough from pan. Continue as directed above for shaping, rising and baking.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.