- Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl. Let sit about 10 minutes or until foaming.
- Mix flour and salt together in a bowl. Add them to the yeast mixture along with olive oil Gradually. Stir until just combined. The dough is done when it’s smooth and satiny, but not sticky. You may need to add more or less flour, depending on how wet your dough is. Add more flour if dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn dough over so both top and bottom are oiled. Cover with aluminum foil and let it sit for 1 hour.
- Next, pour some flour on your work surface and roll the dough into a very thin rectangle. Then spread a layer of Besto pesto on the dough. You can use more or less pesto, depending on how strong you like the pesto flavor.
- Roll up your dough gently into a ‘snake’, start from 1 long side.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Use parchment paper on your pan or baking sheet.
- Transfer rolled dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a pastry cutter or sharp knife to cut the roll in half lengthwise. Turn dough so cut edges face up. Finally, to braid, arrange the two halves like an X, crisscrossing the dough. You can wrap the end into a circle to create an elegant rose shaped pesto filled bread or close the ends like a wreath.
- Bake in oven for 25- 30 minutes or until turned golden brown, brush the crusty pesto braid with olive oil for shine when it’s out of the oven.
*Optional sprinkle shredded cheese on your bread few minutes before taking it out of the oven.
