Don't be me... use salt.

So you might remember the time I made Apple Cinnamon Twist Bread. Well as it turns out... I made this pesto bread at the same time. Talk about the most strange smells in my kitchen. Mmmm apple cinnamon with a strong scent of... pesto?
I made pesto out of a bunch of pinched basil, I had no plan for the pesto, so it sat in the fridge. when I made the dough for the twist bread, I tried one with pesto.
In hindsight, my pesto didn't have salt. That was a giant mistake on my part. Huge. Make sure your pesto is salted... maybe even sprinkle some flakey salt on top of the bread... be sure it's salted. Ours wasn't, it made us sad. The bread was amazing, garlicy, basily, so good - but wow it needed salt.
Salt your food... it's important.

Pesto Twist Bread

FOR THE DOUGH:
3 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup potato flour OR 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon dry instant mashed potatoes, unflavored*
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons soft butter
1 large egg
1 cup + 2 tablespoons room-temperature or lukewarm milk

FOR THE FILLING:
2 cups pesto

Instructions
To make the dough: Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then add the butter, vanilla, egg, and milk, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. If your schedule permits, let the dough rest for 30 minutes; this resting period allows the flour to absorb the liquid fully, making it easier to knead.
Knead the dough — by hand, using a mixer, or in a bread machine set on the dough cycle — until it’s smooth and soft, though still slightly sticky. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until it’s almost doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The amount of time this takes will depend on the temperature of your kitchen; yeast works the fastest at about 85°F, but we prefer the flavor the bread gets from a longer, cooler (about 70°F) rise. If you’re using a bread machine set on the dough cycle, simply allow it to complete its cycle.
To assemble the loaf: Gently deflate the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured or greased work surface. Divide the dough in half. Roll the first half into a 10″ x 12″ rectangle. Spread half the pesto over the rolled-out dough, leaving a 1/2″ margin clear of filling along all sides.
Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge. Use a bench knife, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise. Place the half-logs, filled side up, side by side on a well-greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Keeping the filling side up, twist or “braid” the two logs together, working from the center to each end. Pinch the ends together. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cover the twists lightly, and set them aside to rise for 1 to 2 hours; they should be puffy but not doubled in bulk.
To bake the bread: Bake the loaves in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re lightly browned. Check the loaves after 20 minutes and tent with aluminum foil if they’re browning too quickly. When the loaves are fully baked, a digital thermometer inserted into a loaf (be sure to position the thermometer in the bread, not the filling) should register about 190°F. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for about 1 hour before serving.

Notes
If you don’t have potato flour or flakes, substitute 3/4 cup (about 6 ounces) unseasoned mashed potatoes, adding them to the dry ingredients along with the milk. Reduce the milk to 2/3 cup, adding additional flour or milk as needed to create a smooth, soft dough.
For a slightly softer loaf, replace the all-purpose flour in the dough with our Pastry Flour Blend. Reduce the milk in the dough to 1 cup. Want to increase the loaf’s shelf life? Add 1 tablespoon granular lecithin to the dough.