Pesto-Hörnchen (pesto crescent rolls)
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
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
Method
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.