Paneer Pesto Pull Apart Rolls

Today I present pull apart rolls. This is another shape I saw on Pinterest and had to try. It is really easy once you figure out what to fill the bread with. I had made a paneer pesto filling for the pull apart bread I posted two days ago. I used the same filling here. I used only whole wheat flour and no butter or eggs so the bread lacks the shine or the brown color. But it is very flavorful with the addition of sourdough starter.

You will need
For the Dough
200 gm white whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur)
130 gm water

100 gm fed sourdough starter

6 gm salt

For the filling

3 1/2 oz paneer

1/4 cup pesto sauce
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter, melted at room temperature
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients for the dough and keep aside, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover, stretch and fold the dough over itself. Turn and repeat until you have gone all around the bowl. Cover and keep aside for another 15 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold method another 2-3 times. Then let the dough rise for 2-5 hours depending upon the season. In very warm weather you might want to keep the dough in the refrigerator.

Shred the paneer and saute over a little of the oil. When partially cooked, take it off the heat, and keep it on a paper towel to remove the moisture. Combine with the pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep aside until needed. In a separate bowl mix the oil, butter and the spices. Keep aside refrigerated until needed.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Flour a working surface and using a rolling pin roll the dough on it into a large rectangle. Sprinkle the prepared filling leaving an edge of an inch on one of the long sides.

Starting at one of the longer edges roll the dough tightly along with the filling to get a thick roll.

Place the roll on parchment paper in a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut the roll about an inch from the edge of the roll. Do not cut it all the way through. Repeat about an inch away from the first cut.

Cut at an interval of about an inch all the way along the roll making sure you do not cut all the way through.

Now roll the cut dough to one side, alternating with every cut as in the picture below.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the bread is cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool it completely.

Enjoy!