This soft herbed pull apart star bread with spring greens is inspired by the resourceful elves of Rivendell from The Lord of the Rings.
Spring in Middle Earth
As the snow melts and the first buds of spring begin to open, let us imagine what foods would grace the tables of JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth. With the winter stores of last year’s harvest beginning to dwindle, all the races of Middle Earth would look to the early offerings of the earth. From tender shoots and greens to the first root vegetables, what delicacies would grace the elegant tables of the Elven kingdoms or the great halls of the Dwarven kings? As the world begins to waken from its cold slumber, we can wonder at what foods would be enjoyed from the far cities of men to the quiet hills of the Shire. Let us explore together some of the culinary delights from different lands for a Spring Feast in Middle Earth.
In Rivendell
Under the blossoming trees of Imladris, the elves gather for a springtime feast. Delicate spring greens and herbs are gathered and baked into a golden, savoury twist bread. In honour of Varda’s radiant light and the elves’ love of starlight, this herbed pull apart bread is shaped into a star. The soft bread is layered with fresh and savoury flavours of herbs, garlic, and a light dusting of parmesan cheese. This verdant, golden star bread is as beautiful as it is fragrant, the perfect artful offering of the elves during their springtime feast.
Ingredients
Arugula: Baby arugula adds a peppery and fresh bite to the green filling in this bread. While the flavour won’t be quite the same, you could substitute with all fresh basil or even baby spinach.
Basil: Be sure to use fresh basil.
Boursin: This creamy, herbed cheese adds a savoury richness to the fresh green filling. I used the garlic and fine herbs flavour, although you could use any flavour of boursin that you prefer.
How to Make Spring Greens Star Bread
Activate the yeast
Heat the water to between 105°F and 115°F. Add the sugar and yeast. Stir briefly and then set aside for the yeast to activate. When the yeast is bubbly and risen, after about 5 minutes, proceed with the recipe.
Make the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the warm milk, melted butter, beaten egg, and sugar with the yeast mixture. Stir together. Add the flour, and salt to the mixer.
Mix, using the dough hook, until the dough starts to come together. Scrape down the sides occasionally to encourage the dough to come together. If the dough is too sticky and sticks to the side without forming a ball, then add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
Continue mixing with a dough hook on low speed for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy. After mixing, take the dough out and lightly knead a couple of times on the counter to bring it together into a smooth ball.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Rub a little oil on top of the dough. Cover with cling film or a tea towel and then set in a warm place to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until double in size.
Prepare the filling
In a food processor, combine the baby arugula, fresh basil, minced garlic, lemon zest, kosher salt and pepper. Pulse until the greens are very finely chopped. Add the boursin cheese and pulse just until the mixture is combined and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to assemble.
Assemble the bread
After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate completely. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter. Divide the dough into thirds. Shape each piece into a ball, setting two aside. Begin to roll one piece out into a 10-inch circle. If the dough feels tight and begins to spring back while rolling, set it aside to rest while starting to roll the other two pieces.
Alternate rolling between the three pieces of dough, until you have three 10-inch circles of dough. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the counter and top with one circle of dough. Spread half of the filling evenly over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with half of the finely grated parmesan cheese. Top with another circle of dough and then repeat with the remaining filling and parmesan cheese. Lastly, top with the remaining circle of dough.
Shape the bread
Mark out a 3-inch circle in the middle of the dough with a glass or circle cutter. Use kitchen shears to cut strips into the pastry stopping when you reach the marked centre. Make sixteen strips, cutting it first into quarters and then cutting each quarter into 4 strips.
To shape the star, pick up two strips and twist away from each other two times. Bring the two ends together, pinching to make a point. Repeat with the next two strips, until you have eight twisted points. Slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and cover with a tea towel. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Bake the bread
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an egg wash by beating together 1 egg and a splash of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over each twist. The egg wash will give a shiny, golden crust.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a golden brown. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Serve the Spring Greens Star Bread
While the bread is baking, make the garlic butter. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant. Remove from the heat before the garlic browns. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Brush the garlic butter evenly over the star bread after it comes out of the oven. Brushing with the garlic butter while the bread is still warm will allow it to absorb the butter more easily. This bread is delightful served warm. Enjoy!
