Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour (about 4 cups)
- 100 g active sourdough starter (about 1/2 cup)
- 350 g filtered water (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 10 g fine sea salt (about 2 teaspoons)
- 80 g pesto, homemade or high-quality store-bought
- 50 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup, packed)
- Optional: extra grated Parmesan for topping
- Optional: olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix sourdough starter and water until mostly combined.
- Add bread flour and mix until no dry bits remain. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Sprinkle salt over the dough and knead it in until fully incorporated.
- Cover and let ferment at room temperature for 4–5 hours, performing stretch-and-folds every 30–45 minutes.
- During the final fold, gently stretch out the dough and spread pesto and Parmesan evenly. Fold the dough back onto itself.
- Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf and place it seam-side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.
- Let rest for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight for 8–12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside. Flip the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and transfer it into the hot Dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the crust is golden and crisp.
- Let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use thick pesto to avoid adding too much oil to the dough.
- Let the loaf cool fully before slicing to preserve crumb texture.
- Roasted garlic or sun-dried tomatoes make great add-ins for deeper flavor.
- Swap Parmesan with mozzarella or fontina for a different texture.
- Sprinkle seeds on top before baking for added crunch.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
