pizza braid with basil & mushrooms

Looking for a new way to please the pizza lovers in your house? This Pizza Braid with Basil & Mushrooms fits the bill. Like a cross between a calzone and a stromboli. Takes a bit of effort but well worth your time. 

What you’ll need to prepare the dough…

• Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is used here. 
• Nonfat dry milk – Adds more flavor and tenderness to the bread. 
• Instant yeast – I use instant yeast for this recipe since it is simply whisked into the flour before adding the liquid to the mix.
• Salt – Finely ground table salt is fine.
• Cheddar cheese powder– Recommended to ensure that the cheese flavor is evenly distributed throughout the dough. Readily available online.
• Olive oil – My preference is always extra-virgin olive oil. It adds a pronounced peppery fruity flavor. As an alternative, you could use any neutral oil such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated.
• Warm water – A temperature of around 100°F is ideal for activating the yeast. If the water is too hot (more than 130°F) it will kill off the yeast.

• Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
• Whisk together all of the dough dry ingredients in your mixer bowl or large bowl – this will ensure that the yeast is well incorporated in the mix before adding the wet ingredients.

A note on weighing the flour – not all flour weighs the same.

There are many variables ranging from the way the flour is transferred to the measuring cup to the type of flour. Another huge difference can be found between the many brands out there.

• For unbleached all-purpose white flour, King Arthur Baking states that a cup weighs in at 120 grams.
• Bob’s Red Mill advises 136 grams per cup.
• I use Sunrise Flour Mill’s products for the bulk of my baking – their white flour weighs in at 156 grams per cup!

If you bake on a regular basis, weighing your ingredients as you go is a huge time-saver. It’s also a great way to guarantee excellent results each and every time.

For your go-to recipes, whether in a cookbook or on a print-out –

It’s a great idea to pencil in your personal notations of the exact weight in grams along with the specific flour that you use for each recipe. That way you’ll know that your homemade baked goods are consistently good.

• Mix in the olive oil and water and knead until smooth.
• This can be done by hand, in a bread machine or in your stand mixer.
• Knead until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, adding more flour or water if necessary.
  

• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl.
• Allow the dough to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it’s puffy.

Gather the ingredients to form your Pizza Braid with Basil & Mushrooms…

• Marinara sauce – Your favorite jarred sauce is perfect and convenient.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Shredded parmesan cheese
• Sliced sautéed mushrooms – I always use cremini (baby-portobello) mushrooms here, that have been sautéed in olive oil. They have a meaty texture and smoky, earthy flavor that shines through. If you prefer a more mild flavor, white button mushrooms would be a good choice.
• Fresh basil leaves

Make this your own by adding your family’s favorites – whatever you love on top of your pizza. Be careful, though. Overloading with the fillings could prevent the dough from baking properly.

• Gently deflate the dough, and roll it out into a 10″ x 15″ rectangle on a large sheet of parchment paper.
• Rolling on parchment paper makes moving the bread to the baking sheet so much easier.
• Lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise without cutting through, to divide it into 3 equal sections.

• Leaving 3/4″ of dough bare at each end, spread the tomato sauce down the center section of the dough.
• Top evenly with the cheeses, sautéed mushroom slices and basil.
• Fold the end over the filling at each end of the dough.

• To form the braid, cut 1″ crosswise strips down the length of the outside sections.
• Make sure you have the same number of strips down each side.
  

• Beginning on the left, lift the top dough strip and gently bring it across the filling diagonally.
• Repeat on the other side with the top dough strip, so that the two strips crisscross each other.
  
• Continue down the entire braid, alternating strips to form and complete the loaf.

• Transfer the braid along with the parchment paper to a large baking sheet.
• Cover it, and allow it to rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it’s quite puffy.
  
• Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

• Bake the braid on the parchment lined baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
  
• Remove the braid from the oven, and allow it to cool on the pan slightly before cutting.
• Best enjoyed while still hot or warm with a side bowl of marinara for dipping.

• Store any leftovers, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
• Reheat at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted again.
  

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