Brenda Watts

Home Baker Division Finalist
2019 National Festival of Breads

Special Award:
Best Recipe Using Soy Ingredients,
Sponsored by Kansas Soybean Commission

“I created a special recipe using my family’s favorite Italian flavors and incorporated nutritious soy ingredients.” — Brenda Watts, Gaffney, South Carolina

Ingredients

Dough

1 (¼ ounce) package RED STAR® Quick-Rise™ Yeast
¼ cup warm water (110°– 115°F)
¼ cup silken tofu, at room temperature
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, beaten
¾ cup warm vanilla soymilk (110°F – 115°F)
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ – 3 ¾ cups KING ARTHUR® Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for dusting
½ cup finely shredded Romano cheese
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Filling

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
9 tablespoons marinara sauce, divided
3 tablespoons fresh baby spinach leaves, julienned, divided

Garnish

Fresh basil, optional
Marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions

1. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and wait 5 minutes for mixture to foam (proof).
2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, combine tofu and butter until mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg, yeast mixture, warm soymilk, salt and 3 cups flour. Gradually add enough flour until soft dough forms.
3. Exchange paddle for dough hook. Stir in cheese, olives and basil. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Line 14” pizza pan with parchment. Deflate dough; divide into 4 equal pieces and cover. Roll one piece of dough into 12” circle. Transfer onto pizza pan.
5. Leaving a 1” edge, brush circle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 3 tablespoons marinara sauce. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon spinach. Repeat process until all pieces of dough are evenly layered, leaving the last circle plain.
6. Place 2 ½” round biscuit cutter in center of top dough circle (do not press down). With sharp knife, make 16 evenly spaced cuts to edge of dough; remove cutter. With two hands, pick up two adjacent strips and twist away from each other twice, pinch ends together to seal. Repeat.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush remaining olive oil over top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let rise until puffy, about 20 – 25 minutes.
8. Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature registers 200°F – 210°F. Garnish with basil; serve bread warm with marinara sauce.

Yield: 1 loaf, 16 servings

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1 SLICE, 79g): 210 calories, 80 calories from fat, 10g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 20mg cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 24g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 1g sugars, 6g protein, 58mcg folate, 1mg vitamin C, 2mg iron.