Make this delicious sundried tomato, basil pesto and gooey cheese wreath!  

Serves 6

Total time 1 hr and 35 min

Ingredients

Cake flour 2 1⁄2 cups

Yeast 1 sachet

Salt 1 tsp

Sugar 1 tbsp

Lukewarm water 1 1⁄2 cups

Olive oil 2 tbsp

Basil pesto 1⁄2 cup

Sundried tomatoes, chopped 1⁄2 cup

Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

For serving

Brie or Camembert 1 wheel

Fresh basil leaves or micro herbs

Honey for drizzling

Method

1. Combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add 2/3 of the water and olive oil and combine using a wooden spoon to form a dough. Add more water if needed. The dough should be soft, but not wet and sticky.
3. Knead dough for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for 45 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
6. Knock down the dough before rolling it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a large rectangle, about 5mm thick.
7. Generously coat the dough with basil pesto and evenly scatter with sundried tomatoes. Season well.
8. Gently roll into a log shape along the length of the dough.
9. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half along the middle to get two long strips.
10. Take the ends of each strip and braid them together.
11. Shape the plait into a circle and twist the ends together to secure.
12. Place the wreath onto a greased and lined baking tray and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
13. Place the Brie or Camembert wheel onto a baking tray and bake for about 5-8 minutes or until soft (the centre should be slightly gooey).
14. Place the bread wreath onto a serving platter and nestle the cheese wheel in the centre. Garnish with fresh herbs and drizzle with honey if you like. Serve immediately.

Top tip

Short on time? Store-bought dough works just as well and shaves an hour off the prep time (don’t worry, our lips are sealed).

Make it yourself

Basil pesto

Simply blitz together a handful of your favourite herbs (basil, parsley and coriander work well) and add freshly crushed garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan, nuts (pine nuts, almonds and walnuts are great) and a generous helping of olive oil. Season to taste.

The post Recipe: Sundried tomato, basil pesto and gooey cheese wreath appeared first on MyKitchen.

Make dinner a saucy affair with a delicious meal everyone will love! This chicken pesto bake is sure to be a hit, especially for Sunday lunch.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME  35 min

INGREDIENTS
For the basil and mint pesto
100 g basil
50 g mint, picked
1 tsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup Parmesan
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
For the chicken pesto bake
6 chicken breasts
2 cups cauliflower rice
80 g Parmesan, grated
½ cup basil and mint pesto
2 eggs, whisked
300 g broccoli florets

METHOD
For the basil and mint pesto
1. Add the basil, mint and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse for 1 minute.
2. Add the garlic, Parmesan and olive oil, and blend until the mixture emulsifies.
3. Add sunflower seeds and pulse until the pesto has reached your desired consistency. Add more lemon juice or olive oil if you want it runnier. Season.
For the chicken pesto bake
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper, and rub with olive oil.
3. In a bowl, combine the cauliflower, Parmesan and pesto.
4. Dip each chicken breast in the egg and then in the cauliflower crust.
5. Arrange in a casserole dish and bake for 15 min.
6. Flip the breasts, add the broccoli and then bake for 15 min. Grill for 5 min to crisp up.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Chicken pesto bake appeared first on MyKitchen.

Dinner party snacks never looked better! This carrot gnocchi with basil pesto will give your guests the perfect welcome.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 20 min

INGREDIENTS
For the gnocchi
900 g potatoes (about 4 medium-sized)
250 g carrots (about 4 large), thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt
2 egg yolks
160 ml flour, plus extra for dusting
For the basil pesto
100 g fresh basil
1 medium-sized lemon, juice and zest
⅓ cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
¾ tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil

METHOD
For the gnocchi
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork, then bake in the oven for 1 hour, until tender.
3. In a large pan over medium heat, fry the carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil and a little salt until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and purée until smooth.
4. Once the potatoes are tender, scoop out the flesh and push through a ricer. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the egg yolks, ½ cup of the carrot purée and 1 tsp salt. Add the flour and knead until combined, for about 5 minutes.
5. Prepare a floured surface, then roll the dough into long ropes, about 2 cm thick.
6. With a knife dusted with flour, cut the ropes into 2 cm thick pieces. Roll the gnocchi pieces against the back of a fork, then set aside on the floured surface.
7. In a large pot filled with simmering salted water, cook the gnocchi until they rise to the surface, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl lightly drizzled with olive oil.
8. Finish the gnocchi off in a large pan on medium heat for 1 minute on each side.
For the basil pesto
1. Pulse the basil, lemon juice and zest, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a food processor until it has a fine consistency.
2. Slowly add in the olive oil through the top of the processor, then pulse until well incorporated.
3. Drizzle the pesto on top of the carrot gnocchi to serve.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen//HMimages.co.za

The post Carrot gnocchi with basil pesto appeared first on MyKitchen.

Pesto is a favourite ingredient in my kitchen. I always have some on hand to add flavour to some of the blander dishes I take to work for lunch in my attempts to eat more healthily. It does absolute wonders for my go-to chicken, broccoli and brown rice. And with all the new options available, from red pepper pesto to sun-dried tomato and feta pesto, it is not only flavourful, but boasts a host of nutrients too. So since I love it so much, I thought I’d share a few quick-fire facts I know you’ll love, plus a few of our yummiest pesto recipes.

By Roxy Greeff

1. This omnomnom sauce originates from Genoa in Liguria, Italy and is traditionally made with crushed garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil, Parmesan, sheep’s-milk cheese and olive oil.
2. The name ‘pesto’ originates from the past tense Genoese contraction pestâ (pestare in Italian) which translates to ‘to pound’ or ‘to crush’.
3. One of its predecessors is a paste called moretum, a mixture created the the ancient Romans made up of garlic, salt, cheese, herbs, olive oil and vinegar.
4. Closer to home, a popular sauce in Genoa during the Middle Ages was agliata, a mash of garlic and walnuts. The first documented inclusion of basil was recorded in gastronomist Giovanni Battista Ratto’s book La Cuciniera Genovese, published in 1863.
5. Basil is believed to have come to Genoa from India, and although the herb thrived there, it only grew in season. Marjoram and parsley were used as alternative during other parts of the year (and it actually sounds pretty delicious to me!).

TRY IT
1. Cashew pesto pasta

2. Pesto, avocado and ricotta stuffed tomatoes

3. Caprese picnic loaf

The post Pesto power! 5 things we bet you didn’t know appeared first on MyKitchen.