Pesto-Hörnchen (pesto crescent rolls)
Yeast dough rolled thin, spread edge to edge with pesto, then rolled up tight and cut into crescents so every slice carries the same visible spiral of green rather than pesto pooling in the centre and leaving the ends bare. Rolling the dough thin before spreading is what gives these their many fine layers of pesto instead of one thick smear in the middle.
Prep30 min
Cook20 min
Rest75 min
Servings4
Christoph's pesto crescent rolls, the dough rolled thin before spreading so every slice carries fine layers of pesto.
Ingredients
Units
Temperature
Servings
Dough
- 500 g flour rounded
- 7 g instant yeast rounded
- 10 g fine salt rounded
- 300 ml water, lukewarm rounded
- 30 ml olive oil rounded
Filling
- 150 g basil pesto rounded
- 50 g vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated rounded
- 30 g melted butter, for brushing rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Add the water and olive oil and mix to a rough dough. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, until doubled.
- Divide the dough in half. Roll each half out thin, into a large circle about 3 mm thick.
- Spread the pesto in a thin, even layer edge to edge over each circle. Sprinkle the cheese over.
- Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Roll each wedge up tightly from the wide end to the point, and curve slightly into a crescent shape. Arrange on a baking sheet with the point tucked underneath.
- Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan).
- Brush the rolls with melted butter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Notes
- Roll the dough thin before spreading the pesto. A thicker sheet gives you fewer, thicker layers once rolled up; thin dough creates many fine spirals of pesto through each roll instead of one thick smear in the centre.
- Spread the pesto right to the edges. Any bare margin becomes a plain, pesto-free bite at the tip of the crescent once rolled and cut.
- Roll tightly, not loosely. A loose roll leaves gaps that let the filling leak out during baking and bake unevenly.
- Best eaten warm the day they’re baked, though they reheat acceptably in a low oven the next day.
Ingredient substitutions
- Basil pesto can be swapped for the roasted eggplant and tomato pesto or the wild garlic pesto in this collection, depending on the season.
- A brush of egg wash instead of melted butter gives a shinier crust.
- A little extra grated cheese on top before baking adds a browned, savoury crust.
From Christoph Mayer