Savory Monkey Bread

Monkey bread was popularized in the 1950's by James Beard. The first versions of this pull-apart bread were sweet affairs designed for breakfast or brunch. Given the nature of the bread, it was only a matter of time before aspiring chef's came up with a savory counterpart. While they never enjoyed the same popularity as their sweet cousins, they were the rage for a while and could routinely be found at cocktail and buffet parties. I hadn't made either bread for years, but I was up to my elbows in bread dough this weekend and decided to use some of it to make a savory bread for a soup and salad supper I had planned. It helped make the meal more special than it actually was. If you have time, and are looking for something to perk up a plain meal, you might want to give this a try. I made my bread dough, but a frozen commercial product would work nearly as well. I'm less enthusiastic about the use of tube biscuits that some folks use to make the bread. While, I've fashioned a recipe of sorts, it really reflects my flavor preferences.I hope you'll make the recipe your own by using the herbs and spices you most enjoy. I like to serve this bread warm from the oven. If you make the bread ahead of time, I suggest heating it before it's served. It is soft and lovely when its warm, but it can taste a lot like cold pizza if it sits around too long. The experts have myriad theories as to how the bread got its name. If you're curious you can find the information here. The recipe I used appears below.

Savory Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1-1/4 cups fat-free milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

1 egg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, and rosemary, crushed

Directions:

1) Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl.

2) Heat milk, oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until it reaches a temperature of to 120 to 130 degrees F.

3) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, beating just until moistened. Add egg and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

4) Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

5) Combine cheese, sesame seeds, garlic salt, paprika and herbs in a small bowl. Punch dough down. Divide into 32 pieces; roll each into a ball.

6) Drizzle 2 teaspoons butter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with one third of cheese mixture. Top with 16 balls. Repeat layers. Drizzle with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

7) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (32 pieces).