Baking recipe: savoury bread with pesto

Pesto and pistou, each with a very distinctive flavour, are both made with fresh basil. Pistou, the French version of the Italian sauce, is made without pine nuts. In this delicious bread, pesto is both cooked in the dough, and added after cooking as a garnish. Here's how to cook this delicious bread.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serving: recipe for a 300 g round loaf

• 150 ml (2/3 cup) flour
• 15 g (1 tbsp) baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 375 ml (11/2 cups) buttermilk
• 75 g (5 tbsp) basil pesto
• 60 g (4 tbsp) dried tomato pesto
• 40 g (1/4 cup) chopped dried tomatoes in oil
• 30 g (2 tbsp) freshly grated Parmesan
• Basil pesto to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
2. Add the egg, buttermilk and basil pesto. Mix to form a smooth dough.
3. Line a 10.5 x 21 cm (4 x 8 inch) tin with baking parchment. Place the dough in the tin. Stir in the tomato pesto on the top of the loaf and sprinkle with dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for around 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread is fully baked. Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm, drizzled with basil pesto.

1. Prepare two large, peeled garlic cloves, 30 grams (one ounce) pine nuts, 30 grams (one ounce) freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, 65 millilitres (four heaped tablespoons) fresh basil leaves and 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil.

• Blend all of the ingredients in a blender.
• Gradually add the oil as a steady stream.
• The mixture should be slightly course. Add oil if necessary.
• Pour into a jar; cover with a thin film of oil and seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 15 days.

• Sweet basil has a spicy aroma and a slightly aniseed flavour.
• Basil is traditionally associated with pesto, but it can be replaced by other herbs, such as coriander or rocket.
• Mixing equal quantities of a herb with a tangy taste, such as purple basil or lemon basil, and a herb with a sweeter taste, such as flat-leaf parsley or mint, is another great option.
• Enjoy!