Waking up on Monday morning contained similar excitement and feelings to waking up on Christmas Day. It was like Texas went from high 90 degree heat to a windy and somewhat chilly low 70s overnight. Although I was just saying how I wanted summer to stay longer, I couldn't hide the exhilaration I felt when going outside for a morning walk in shorts and a t shirt and actually feeling slightly cold with the wind chill. Does this mean we can start enjoying pumpkin baked goods? As this is Texas, we will probably be back in the hot 90's in no time, as in probably today. Oh well, we are headed in the right direction to make it finally feel more like autumn around here!
Between the two of us, Kyle is much more interested (and better) at baking than I am. And we all know how I feel about dessert baking, or at least how I felt, that one time. While I may not enjoy baking as much as another person, I did enjoy making this savory scallion bread. It was so fun to roll up and slice, and it contained one of my current favorite ingredients, scallions. Lately I have been topping most everything I make with scallions and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, whether that is a soup, eggs and toast, vegetable side dish, or a salad. I just can't get enough!
I haven't had much experience baking breads, but I'm starting to love using yeast and watching the dough rise. There is something therapeutic about kneading it with my hands too, and it just feels so rustic and country farm-like that I want to learn more. I'm hoping to experiment with more bread baking in the upcoming colder months.
Scallion Pull Apart Bread
from My Name is Yeh
Ingredients:
for the dough:
- 1 envelope of dry active yeast
- 3/4 up warm water
- 1 tbl. sugar
- 3 cups flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
for the filling:
- 1/4 cup of roasted sesame oil
- 1 cup scallions, finely chopped (approx. 8)
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1-2 tbl. red pepper flakes
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten, mixed with 1 tbl. of water
- toasted sesame seeds
Directions: In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, mix together yeast packet, warm water, and sugar. Let stand until foamy at the top, around 5-10 minutes.
In the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together flour, salt, oil, and yeast mixture. Knead 8-10 times, or until dough is smooth and springy. Shape into a ball with your hands and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 2-3 hours.
Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shaping it into a rectangle that's approximately 24 inches by 9 inches. Spread a thin layer of sesame oil on top, and then layer with scallions, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Roll the long side of the dough up and slice into 2-inch pieces. Place in a lightly greased 8-inch round cake pan, and let rise an additional 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush dough with egg wash mixture and sesame seeds. Bake in preheated oven for 30 -35 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let slightly cool and then serve!
