I only got to enjoy a sliver of this striking star bread with green onion pesto and panko bread crumbs. That’s because I gifted most of it to my parents and the rest to a friend. But the bite I had was so delicious that I think I’ll have to break my “never make the same dish twice” canon.
Ironically, the star bread with green onion pesto is the result of me (once again) trying to be thrifty. You see, I had some ingredients in the fridge that I wanted to use up, including a simple sauce made with green onions, parsley and almonds.
So what makes the savory pastry so scrumptious? If I had to put my finger on it, I’d say the unique flavor combination – a blend of Italian and Asian tastes, if you will. The green onion pesto adds an herby brightness to the star bread, while coconut milk lends a subtle sweetness. And toasted panko bread crumbs sprinkled in between the layers of dough give the creation a surprise crunch. I mean, what’s not to love?
- ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons reduced-fat coconut milk
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, softened
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons almonds
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- zest of ½ lime
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup toasted panko bread crumbs (see notes**)
- 1 egg, beaten
- sesame seeds (for topping, optional)
- In a large bowl, heat coconut milk until warm - about 30 seconds in the microwave should do. Add the yeast and sugar. Whisk together until thoroughly combined and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Add the rest of the dough ingredients (coconut oil through salt) to the coconut milk mixture, stirring everything until it comes together to form a shaggy ball. Then knead the dough by hand (or with a dough hook attachment) until it’s smooth and elastic - this will take about 10 minutes (or less if using a stand mixer). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- In a food processor or blender, purée all the ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide into 4 equal pieces.
- Using a rolling pin, roll one piece into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the entire surface with the beaten egg, leaving a 1" border around the edges. Spread about 3 tablespoons green onion pesto in an even layer over the top of the dough and sprinkle on one-third of the panko bread crumbs. Repeat with remaining portions of dough, leaving the last circle bare.
- Place a 2" round cutter in the center of the stack of dough. Use a sharp knife to cut dough into 16 wedges, leaving the area inside the round cutter intact.
- Using your hands, gently twist two adjacent wedges away from each other a few times and pinch ends to seal. Repeat with remaining wedges of dough.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Let dough rise for 15 minutes and then brush top of loaf with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
**To toast panko bread crumbs, melt 1½ teaspoons butter in a fry pan over medium-low heat. Add panko bread crumbs and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
