Mediterranean Pull Apart Bread (Printable Version)

Soft golden bread infused with herbs, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and feta. Perfect for sharing at gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
03 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
04 - 1/4 cup olive oil
05 - 1 tbsp sugar
06 - 1 1/2 tsp salt

→ Mediterranean Filling

07 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
08 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped and drained
09 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
12 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Topping

15 - 2 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy and fragrant.
02 - Add olive oil, salt, and flour to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch round or square baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
05 - Punch down dough and roll out to a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, parsley, basil, garlic, oregano, and black pepper.
06 - Cut dough into 2-inch squares. Stack squares into small piles and arrange standing upright in the baking dish, fitting them closely together.
07 - Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
08 - Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. The top should be crisp and the interior tender.
09 - Let cool in the dish for 10 minutes before serving warm. Pull apart individual squares to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The way the feta gets all melty and salty in pockets throughout the bread
  • That moment when you pull the first piece away and steam escapes, carrying the scent of herbs and garlic
  • It looks impressive but comes together with almost zero technique
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully so you can keep snacking all week
02 -
  • Don't skip the rising time—even 15 minutes less and you'll end up with dense, heavy bread instead of fluffy layers
  • Really drain those sun-dried tomatoes or you'll get soggy spots where nobody wants them
  • Fit the pieces tightly in the pan so they rise upward instead of spreading outward
  • The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on top and the cheese is bubbling between layers
03 -
  • Chop your olives and sun-dried tomatoes into roughly the same size so they distribute evenly
  • Room temperature ingredients come together faster—take your cheese and herbs out while the dough rises
  • Use a bench scraper to cut the dough squares for perfectly even pieces

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