It’s a shareable cheesy, pull-apart round of ridiculously delicious bread! Oh, and that’s just the beginning of the experience you’ll have making and devouring this tasty appetizer! It’s really so simple to make—maybe ten minutes of prep time, then into the oven it goes until its golden brown, and the cheese is melted to perfection so when you pull a chunk of bread apart , the mozzarella just stretches and pulls just like those pizza commercials! I love this recipe because it’s fun to make, the ingredients are readily available and I always really enjoy dishes that you plop in the middle of the table and share! You can make this with a round sour dough bread boule, an oblong French or Italian loaf or even mini sour dough rounds for individual servings. For the pesto, it can be store bought or homemade, the recipe of which I have included here. Once you see the reaction to this tasty treat, you’ll be making it time and time again!
Watch my How To Video for Cheesy, Pesto Crack Bread here!
| Servings |
- 1 large bread boule (sour dough, French or Italian)
- 1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon, Italian seasoning
- 1 log of sliced Fresh Mozzarella (16 ounce log or 2 (8 ounce) balls)
- 1 container pesto (8 ounce container or homemade)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan
- marinara or pizza sauce for dipping (optional)
Ingredients
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- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Make slices on the diagonal three quarters of the way down the bread loaf to form square or diamond shapes on the top of the bread. In a bowl, mix together the melted butter, olive oil and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasonings. Spoon half of the mixture into the bread slits. Cut the fresh mozzarella into ½ inch pieces, and stuff them into the slits. Spoon the pesto into each slit. Spoon or brush the remainder of the butter and olive oil mixture over the entire top of the bread. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasonings. Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and fresh grated Parmesan cheese over top. Place bread on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for about 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and top is golden brown. If bread gets too dark, cover with foil until cheese has melted. Serve immediately. Pull bread apart with your fingers. Dip is marinara sauce if desired.
Homemade Pesto
Ingredients: 2 cups fresh basil, packed 2 cloves garlic ¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts 1 cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt Directions: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil and pulse in a food processor. Add olive oil and blend until smooth but still slightly coarse. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container.
