Soaked in salty butter and nutty pesto, this pull-apart loaf is garlic bread’s cool older sister.
A good loaf a bread is definitely on my “last meal” menu. Even better when it’s smothered in butter and gooey cheese. This pull-apart loaf is easy to prepare in advance, and pop onto the grill or into the oven (I’ve included both instructions below). It’s super indulgent, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The main trick is the make sure you cut nice and low into the bread, without cutting all the way through. Oh, and don’t be shy with the butter!
Grilled Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Bread
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
1 X 8” Sourdough or French boule/round loaf
1 stick salted butter
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons pesto
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
4 oz shredded mozzarella
Instructions
OVEN INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat an oven to 350f.
- Slice the bread into 1” slice – cutting all the way down the sides of the loaf, but DO NOT cut through the bottom. Turn the loaf a quarter turn, then slice across to create a 1″ cube pattern, again being careful not to cut through the entire way.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter along with the garlic and pesto. Once melted, add the parsley (this will make sure it stays vividly green).
- Use a small spatula or pastry brush to spread the butter mixture into all the slices in both directions, generously coating the bread. Then, stuff the cuts with the mozzarella cheese cheese.
- Cut a piece of foil large enough to completely enclose the loaf, then cut a piece of parchment paper the same length and layer it on top of the foil. The parchment paper stops the cheese from sticking to the foil.
- Place the foiled loaf into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Use tongs to gently peel back the foil and paper to reveal the top of the loaf. Bake a further 8-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
GRILL INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice the bread into 1” slice – cutting all the way down the sides of the loaf, but DO NOT cut through the bottom. Turn the loaf a quarter turn, then slice across to create a 1″ cube pattern, again being careful not to cut through the entire way.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter along with the garlic and pesto. Once melted, add the parsley (this will make sure it stays vividly green).
- Use a small spatula or pastry brush to spread the butter mixture into all the slices in both directions, generously coating the bread. Then, stuff the cuts with the mozzarella cheese cheese.
- Cut a piece of foil large enough to completely enclose the loaf, then cut a piece of parchment paper the same length and layer it on top of the foil. The parchment paper stops the cheese from sticking to the foil.
- Fill a charcoal chimney two-thirds full with charcoal and light the coals. Once the top layer is just starting to ash around the edges, dump the coals into the grill piling them all to one side to create a hot and a cool zone. The grill should be around 350f.
- Place the foiled loaf on the indirect/cool side of the grill (not directly above the coals) and close the lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes. After this time, gently peel back the foil and paper to reveal the top of the loaf (it will be hot, use high heat gloves or tongs), close the lid and cook a further 8-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
If you can, use good quality pesto – the expensive stuff really does taste that much better.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: grill
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: grill, oven, appetizers
