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So I am, once again piling on the ramp craze here with this offering of a rustic ramp version of pull-apart bread.
Use this lovely, much sought after wild leek in this buttery pull-apart bread that is also stuffed with basil and cheese.
Pull-apart bread takes a bit of work to assemble but the delicious flavor in every bite result is well worth it.
After the bread dough has been made, kneaded and left to rise, It is rolled out into a rectangle. I used whole wheat flour for this bread, all-purpose would work just as well.
Butter is mixed together with fresh chopped ramps and basil and spread over the rolled out bread dough.
The dough is then cut into strips and then pieces.
The pieces are stuffed into a loaf pan.
Before baking, coarse salt is scattered over the top. I used Carmargue de Sel. Feel free to use your favorite variety.
You can also easily substitute your favorite cheese or fresh chopped herbs in this recipe.
The ramps provide lovely onion-garlic flavor. The result tastes like garlic cheese bread with an added flavor layer of basil.
Cheesy Ramp Basil Pull-Apart Bread
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Rise Time: 90 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients:
- 2 packages of active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons plus 1+1/4 cup lukewarm water, divided
- Pinch of white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3+ 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh ramps
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 sticks(1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 5oz. shredded Emmental or your favorite cheese
- Camargue fleur de sal, or any other type of fancy salt for finishing
Directions:
- Place the active dry yeast in a small bowl. Add three tablespoons of lukewarm water, the pinch of white granulated sugar and dissolve.
- In a large separate bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour and the teaspoon of salt.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the dissolved yeast in the middle.
- Add the olive oil and the remaining 1 +1/4 cup lukewarm water and knead together into a smooth dough.
- If you like, alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough.
- Cover the bowl with a dish towel and stow the covered bowl in a warm place. Let the dough rise for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees C. Grease a 12-inch loaf pan.
- In a small separate bowl, mix the fresh chopped ramps and basil together with the softened unsalted butter until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough again for a few turns, then roll it out into a rectangle.
- Spread the ramp basil butter on top of the dough.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the butter mixture. Press the cheese into the dough with your hands.
- Cut the dough lengthwise into 6 strips. Stack 3 of the strips of dough on top of each other, butter side up. Repeat with the other three strips.
- Cut each stacked strip on the diagonal into 6 pieces.
- Layer each piece of diagonally cut dough next to one another until the pan is filled.
- Sprinkle the fancy or flavored salt on top of the bread. Let stand 30 minutes.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the baked bread stand for 20 minutes before removing from the form and serving.
