Tomato and fresh basil bread

[kbreit]

I am starting out on the whole bread making venture and had a good white bread come out last Friday so I would like to explore a little. Ya know, test the water with the toes sort of thing.

One idea that was conjured up over slices of home made white bread, beer, and a bonfire was white bread with tomato and fresh basil (I gotta do something with what I am growing) topped with roasted garlic spread and a slice of mozzarella. Lots going on here, I know.

Would this work best with the tomato and basil blended or would chunks work better? What about both? Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Wyogal]

Fresh tomato or a sun-dried type? If using fresh, the moisture may affect your results. If you blend it, it will work its way throughout the bread. Or you could make a pesto-type sauce with it, then make a rolled bread (like cinnamon swirl).

[Uncle Bob]

Maybe a bruschetta recipe...or some variation on the theme....

Bonus points if you toast your bread over/around the Bonfire........

Have Fun!!!

[Mimizkitchen]

If you have tomatoes growing I would oven dry them and then mix into the bread dough along with your basil... I agree with wyogal that fresh tomatoes would change the consistancy of your bread... Keep us posted...

[DaveSoMD]

I have had sun dried tomato and basil bread, but it was a quick bread, not a rise bread. Very good.

I'd definately dry your tomatoes as suggested.

[kbreit]

My tomatoes aren't nearly ready yet. Would store bought sun dried tomatoes work? Should I avoid the ones with syrup?

[Mimizkitchen]

Originally Posted by kbreit

My tomatoes aren't nearly ready yet. Would store bought sun dried tomatoes work? Should I avoid the ones with syrup?

Yes store bought ones will work but do stay away from the ones packed in oil... You can find nice ones at health food stores in the bins and then you can buy what you need, and they are more tasty than the packaged ones in the supermarket...

[Selkie]

Originally Posted by kbreit

...white bread with tomato and fresh basil ... topped with roasted garlic spread and a slice of mozzarella...

It sounds like Pizza Margarita to me!

[Claire]

My "big" problem with fresh tomatoes and fresh basil is that they don't live in the same season around here. By the time my tomatoes are ripe, the basil is dead and buried in the freezer in the form of pesto. Right at the moment my tomatoes are about the size of my fingernail, won't be ripe and/or edible for another month but the basil is bolting and I still have pesto in the freezer from last year.

[kbreit]

Originally Posted by Claire

My "big" problem with fresh tomatoes and fresh basil is that they don't live in the same season around here. By the time my tomatoes are ripe, the basil is dead and buried in the freezer in the form of pesto. Right at the moment my tomatoes are about the size of my fingernail, won't be ripe and/or edible for another month but the basil is bolting and I still have pesto in the freezer from last year.

I would agree. I have both going. The basil is tall and ready to go, already trying to bud (cut them off!) and probably will be getting woody before too long. I may plant a round 2 of Basil in a month from now.