Pesto Flatbread – Is there anything better than garlic and fresh herbs?

Pesto Flatbread – Is there anything better than garlic and fresh herbs?
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QUICK PESTO FLATBREAD

There’s nothing better! End of summer fantasies come from this delicious Pesto Flatbread, made from the season’s leftover fresh herbs (or jarred pesto anytime of year). My patio garden is the inspiration for this easy recipe for Pesto Flatbread using garlic and fresh herbs. Find that recipe below. If you want to make bread using dry herbs, try my Italian Herb Bread.

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Fresh Pesto Flavors in an Easy Pesto Flatbread Recipe

Potted Basil on my patio

Potted Herbs. I grow basil in pots on my patio. Basil is a super easy herb to grow. To start, I sprinkle seeds in the dirt in the spring. Next, I place the pot in a warm and sunny spot. After, I water every couple of days. By end of summer, I was blessed with huge amounts of fresh basil! I use that homegrown basil and parsley to make fresh pesto. Finally, mix fresh pesto flatbread dough to make a delicious appetizer or flavorful base for flatbread pizzas.

flatbread recipe, pesto bread, garlic bread
Pesto Flat Bread

Is Fresh Pesto Worth Making at Home?

Oh my, yes! Even if pesto can be store bought I highly recommend you make your own. The flavor is far superior to pre-made. If you must purchase, I recommend Mezzetta Pesto sauce, I use a number of their products in my bread and as toppings on pizza, try my Sourdough Italian Style Pizza!

Making Fresh Pesto is Easy (Remember, Garlic and Fresh Herbs, is There Anything Better?!?)

Fresh Pesto is a combination of basil, parsley, olive oil, garlic, parmesan and pignoli (pine) nuts. If preferred, substitute other nuts or just leave them out as I did in my Pesto. Instructions in full recipe card below. Any leftover pesto can be used in a variety of ways: pasta sauce, compound butter, drizzled on caprese salad, etc.

Fresh Garlic and Herbs
Making Fresh Pesto in a Food Processor

Fun Vignette about Living Abroad

If you read the About Me page you know I lived a significant time abroad. In Europe, you quickly realize that the grocery store products are different than home and typically written in the domestic language. That means, shopping which is normally so mundane, all of a sudden becomes an adventure! After my first move abroad to Warsaw, I made an adventurous trip to the grocery store. After all, I had to eat!

Grocery Shopping in a Foreign Country

I made a grocery list and pulled out my Polish-English dictionary. This was before there were personal assistant devices, cell phones, or Google maps – I didn’t even have a computer. First, I pulled out a map, found a grocery store in the visitor’s guide, and plotted a route. Second, I created a shopping list. Third, I spent an hour in my dictionary translating the list to Polish. Last, I left my house. That meant, I walked the half mile to the kiosk, bought a bus ticket, and took the 30 minute ride to the grocery store. I haltingly asked the driver to kindly let me know when I needed to get off. Thankfully, he did, and I found the store based on rudimentary understanding of his directions.

Shopping list for Pesto Bread Recipe
Shopping List – Lista Zakupów (English/Angielski – Polish/Polskie)

There were so many memorable things about that trip, like needing a coin to unlock a grocery basket, a coin I did not have! During that shopping trip I learned to say Parsley (Pietruszka, which translates as “little Peter”) and searched high and low for eggs and milk. I just could not find them. This may seem obvious to you if you live somewhere other than America, but to me this was definitely not the norm! Where were the eggs and milk?? I did finally find them in a dry goods aisle (warm eggs and shelf-stable milk) – what a total surprise. In conclusion, I learned so much that day!

Sharing is Caring

Try this delicious and easy recipe for a super simple, delicious flatbread that is sure to impress your friends. Help me achieve my vision of Great Bread for All. Please rate the recipe below and share you results on social media and tag @christinasbreadbakes on FB, Instagram or Twitter. Happy baking, Bread Bakers!

Signature Christina
pesto flatbread

Pesto Flat Bread

Christina
A flat bread with pesto flavors perfect for appetizer or complement to soup or salad.
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 24 slices
Calories 85 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Digital Metric Scale
  • Electric Mixer with Dough Hook
  • 4 Liter food container (or bowl)
  • Cover for container (or plastic wrap)
  • Large Sheet Pan 18 in X 13 in (460 mm X 330 mm)
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients
  

Pesto

  • 1½ T Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Water
  • 1 T Parsley
  • 1 T Basil
  • 1 T Grated Parmesan
  • 1 ea Garlic Clove

Dough

  • 225 ml Water 100-110 F (37-43 C)
  • 1 T Honey
  • 4 grams Yeast
  • 400 grams Bread Flour
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
  • 50 grams Pesto (homemade or store bought)

Topping

  • 1 tsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For Serving (optional)

  • 1 T Chopped Parsley and/or Basil
  • 2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions
 

PESTO

  • If making your own Pesto, scale all ingredients according to preceding recipe. Place all ingredients into a food processor (or using a stick blender), process all ingredients until blended. Should measure approximately 1/4 of a cup. If using store bought Pesto, measure out 1/4 of a cup.

BREAD

    Scaling

    • Using a digital scale, measure out all ingredients.

    Mixing

    • Mix water and honey until dissolved. Add yeast and set aside for 10 minutes or until foamy.
      Yeast mixed with water turns foamy
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together by hand the flour and the salt.
    • Pour activated yeast into the flour and salt mix. Add pesto.
    • Turn mixer on to Level 1 (Low) and mix for 2-3 minutes until a rough dough is achieved.
    • Turn mixer on to Level 2 and mix for 5-6 minutes until a smooth dough is formed.
    • Remove from bowl and knead on work surface for 30 seconds to form a smooth dough ball.

    Bulk Fermentation (first rise)

    • Place dough ball in to a lightly greased container or bowl. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap.
    • Set aside to rise for 1½ hours.

    Folding (sometimes called punching)

    • When doubled in size, gently dump dough onto work surface.

    Divide

    • Cut dough in half.
    • Rest for 10 minutes before trying to shape.

    Pre-Shaping or Rounding

    • With fingers and hands, stretch and press half the dough into a 14 in. x 6 in. rectangular shape (35 cm x 15 cm). Repeat with the second half of the dough.
      Note: When dough is pressed out, it will be bumpy and inconsistently flat, this is okay, it will give you a lovely finished product that will hold an olive oil drizzle.
    • Coat parchment paper with spray oil.
    • Lay pressed dough side by side on parchment paper.
    • Cover with sprayed plastic wrap.

    Makeup and Panning

    • Insert an empty sheet pan upside down into oven.
    • Preheat oven at 475 F (245 C degrees, gas mark 9) for 30 minutes with sheet pan in the oven.

    Proofing (second rise)

    • Allow the shaped dough to rise for 20-30 minutes; just long enough to get some air incorporated but not too high.
      Note: If dough puffed up so high that it lost its bumpy shape, not to worry! Simply use your fingers, gently push dough down in random pattern to partially deflate in areas and move to next step.

    Baking

    • Remove plastic wrap.
    • Using spray olive oil or a pastry brush gently spray/brush ½ teaspoon of olive oil over each piece of flat dough.
    • Sprinkle each half with ½ tsp course sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
    • Slide a flat pan or cutting board under the parchment paper.
    • Slide parchment paper onto pre-heated pan in the oven.
    • Bake for 10 minutes.
      Note: Should be golden brown on the top and dark brown on the bottom.

    Cooling

    • Remove from parchment and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
    • Drizzle each half with 1 T olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 T chopped fresh herbs.
    • Slice each half into 12 diagonal slices.
    • Serve immediately.
      Flat Bread Cut into Strips for an Appetizer

    Storing

    • This is best eaten warm directly from the oven.
      Hint: However, try storing uncut, baked bread in the freezer, remove, wrap in aluminum foil, reheat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, drizzle, sprinkle with fresh herbs, slice and serve.
    Keyword bread, flat bread, herb bread

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