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…
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Nonfat dry milk
- Instant yeast
- Salt
- Cheddar cheese powder
- Olive oil
- Water
- 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.
My go-to recipes, whether in a cookbook or on a print-out, have my personal notations of the exact weight in grams along with the specific flour so that my breads, cakes and cookies 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
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Sliced sautéed mushrooms
- 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.
pizza braid with basil & mushrooms
Inspired by King Arthur Baking
Delicious cross between stromboli and calzone. Make it your own with your favorite pizza toppings.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (200 grams) *see Recipe Notes
- 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk (28 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (6 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (3.75 grams)
- 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese powder (14 grams)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (25 grams)
- 2/3 cup lukewarm water (152 grams)
For the Filling
- 1/3 cup marinara or tomato sauce (74 grams)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese blend (113 grams)
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (30 grams)
- 4 ounces sliced mushrooms, sautéed in olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
For the Dough
-
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. 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.
-
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 much easier.
Forming the Pizza Braid
-
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, and 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, making 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 paper 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.
Recipe Notes
Depending on the brand of flour used, the weight may need to be adjusted.
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