Smoky Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread

Bloomin' Breadion.

A loaf of Italian bread with pesto and mozzarella cheese.

You get it? It's like a Bloomin' Onion, but with bread? (Outback, please don't sue us.) Yep, that's pretty cheesy. Pun intended. 

Anyway, this one here is about as simple as it gets:

Ingredients:

  • 1 round loaf of your favorite bread
  • 6-8 oz. of Smoked Pesto (recipe here), or your favorite jarred pesto.
  • 12oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Smoked Black Pepper
  • Smoked Wildflower Honey (optional)

So, you basically start by cutting the bread almost all the way through in 1" crosshatch pattern. You then spoon the pesto into all the little bread chasms you made. Repeat the process by stuffing a bunch of mozzarella cheese in it. Drizzle some Smoked Olive Oil and crack some Smoked Black Pepper over the top. Drizzle some Smoked Honey over the top as well if you like a little sweetness with your salty and savory (I certainly do). Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and pop that bad boule in there for 25-30 minutes. 

That's it. Super simple. Super tasty. Great to serve with a dish that has tomato sauce (I'm looking at you, bolognese.)