Ingredients
Bread Dough:
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to 120-130°F
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons or 1 package yeast
3 eggs
3 tablespoons TAO Rosemary Pressato Olive Oil, divided
3 tablespoons TAO Basil Pressato Olive Oil, divided
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sea salt
Roasted Red Pepper & Herb Swirl:
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1/4 cup fresh Thai basil, torn
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon JM Thomason Tuscan Dipping Oil
Directions
Place warm milk, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Let rest for 5 minutes, activating the yeast. Add eggs, 1 1/2 tablespoons of rosemary olive oil, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of basil olive oil, and gently whisk until combined. Swap out the whisk attachment for the bread hook, and add the flour and salt. Stir on low until the dough has combined, then slowly increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm area to rise for 1 hour.
Place red peppers, basil, rosemary, parmesan cheese, garlic, seasoning, and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of rosemary olive oil, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of basil olive oil in a medium bowl, stir to combine, and set aside.
Once the bread dough has risen, remove it from the bowl, and place it on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is super sticky, knead a few times with a sprinkling of flour until slightly tacky. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the swirl mixture over the surface of the dough and roll into a long, tight cylinder. Wrap the cylinder in plastic and place it in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes. Lightly spritz an oven-proof skillet or large cake pan with olive oil and set aside.
Once rested, remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and cut it in half longways. Lay the two halves, with the centers facing up, and pinch two of the ends together. With the untethered (or un-pinched) ends, under over cross the two halves together, almost as if you were creating a braid with just two strands. Carefully transfer the braided dough to the prepared pan and, using the curvature of the pan, form the braided dough into a circle. Pinch and tuck the ends underneath themselves, creating an almost seamless appearance. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside to rest and rise (in a warm space) for another hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Once the dough has rested and risen, uncover it and place it in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 15-30 minutes before slicing and serving.