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Ingredients

Dough
2 teaspoons quick-rising yeast from Red Star
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 large egg
2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more as needed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)

Filling
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, extra soft
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shredded parmesan, mozzarella or white cheddar cheese

Thanksgiving dinner is like a chocolate chip cookie, the more you add the better it gets. You need to have classic dishes like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, but it can be better when you add cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and candied yams.

Although a classic is always great, sometimes it is nice to spice things up a bit and add something no one has seen before. This rosemary garlic pull-apart bread is a twist on the standard Thanksgiving rolls and adds something new and exciting to the table.

Meghan Hendricks | Senior Staff Photographer

To begin making the bread, start by placing the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a kitchen mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. You can also use a large mixing bowl if you do not have a stand mixer. Heat the milk on a stove or in a microwave until warm to the touch, about 110 F. Add the warm milk to the yeast and sugar mixture and whisk gently to combine. Loosely cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.

After 5-10 minutes, the mixture should look frothy, at which point you should add the butter, egg, salt, garlic powder and rosemary to the bowl. Beat on low speed for three minutes or until fully combined. Once mixed, the dough will be soft and you will transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Using lightly floured hands, knead the dough for about one minute. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-3 more tablespoons of flour, but be careful to make sure the dough is still soft.

Once kneaded, shape the dough into a ball, place it into a greased bowl (I used non-stick cooking spray) and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the bowl in a slightly warm environment to rise. I left mine on the kitchen counter with a kitchen towel over the plastic wrap for slightly more insulation. Leave the dough to rise until doubled in size — or around 60-90 minutes.

As the dough rises, prepare the filling. Mix the butter, rosemary, parsley, garlic and salt in a medium bowl. If the butter is soft enough, you can mix it all together with a spoon or fork or you can use an electric mixer as well. Cover tightly and set aside until ready to use. Do not refrigerate.

Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap or aluminum foil and punch the dough to release the air. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces, about ¼ cup of dough and a little larger than a golf ball. I found it easiest to form the dough into a log and divide the dough with my hands from there.

Using lightly floured hands, flatten each into a circle that’s about four inches in diameter. The dough should be soft enough that you do not need to use a rolling pin to flatten the circle out.

Once the circles have been formed, spread about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling mixture onto each one and sprinkle with about a tablespoon (or more if you choose) of cheese. Fold the circles in half, trapping the filling inside.

Grease a 9-by-5 inch bread pan and place the circles in the pan with the round side up. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow to rise again in a slightly warm place until puffy — should take about 45 minutes.

While the bread is rising once again, adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and then preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. If you find the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, create a tent with aluminum foil over the top. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan.

Before serving, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. If made ahead of time, reheat in a 300 F oven for 10-15 minutes to ensure that the interior is soft again. You can also reheat in the microwave if you choose.

Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Published on November 15, 2023 at 10:27 pm