Pesto Sandwich Loaf Recipes

PESTO AND ROASTED-VEGETABLE SANDWICH LOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Spray jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch, with cooking spray. Toss bell peppers and mushrooms with oil in pan. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp-tender. Refrigerate 15 minutes to chill.
• Coarsely chop roasted vegetables. Mix chopped vegetables, parsley and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; set aside. Mix chicken, 1/2 cup mayonnaise and the pesto.
• Cut bread horizontally into 4 layers. Place bottom layer on plate or tray. Spread with half of the pesto filling. Top with bread layer. Spoon vegetable filling over bread layer. Top with bread layer. Spread with remaining pesto filling. Top with remaining bread layer.
• Spread cream cheese over outside of sandwich loaf. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish loaf with fresh herbs. Cut into 8 slices; cut each slice in half. Store covered in refrigerator.

PESTO-TURKEY LAYERED LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut the top fourth off loaf of bread. Carefully hollow out the bottom, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. (Discard removed bread or save for another use.) Spread pesto on the inside of top and bottom of bread. Set top aside., In bottom of bread, layer the turkey, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes and onion. Gently press the layers together. Replace bread top and wrap tightly in foil. , Place on a baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

PESTO STAR BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine milk, egg, butter, sugar, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 4 portions. Roll each into a 12-in. circle. Place 1 circle on a greased 14-in. pizza pan. Spread with half the basil pesto to within 1/2 in. of edges; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Place second circle of dough on top; spread with sun-dried tomato pesto and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with third circle of dough, remaining basil pesto and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan; top with final portion of dough., Place a 2-1/2-in. round cutter on top of the dough in center of circle (do not press down). With a sharp knife, make 16 evenly spaced cuts from round cutter to edge of dough, forming a starburst. Remove cutter; grasp 2 adjacent strips and rotate twice outward. Pinch ends together. Repeat with remaining strips., Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven; brush with melted butter, avoiding areas where pesto is visible. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, sprinkle with additional cheese and basil before serving; serve with pesto or marinara.

PESTO MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Place pesto ingredients in the order listed in a food processor; cover and process on low speed until a paste forms. , In a large bowl, combine the first six meat loaf ingredients; add pesto. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Press into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. , Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°, draining off fat if necessary. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes before slicing.