Mediterranean Pull Apart Bread (Print Version)

Soft, golden bread loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta, and fresh herbs—perfect for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant dry yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Mediterranean Filling

07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
08 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
09 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Brushing

16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
02 - Add warm water and olive oil to dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
03 - Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
05 - Mix sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta, basil, parsley, garlic, melted butter, oregano, and black pepper in a bowl.
06 - Punch down risen dough and roll into a 12x16 inch rectangle on a floured surface.
07 - Spread Mediterranean filling evenly over the rolled dough.
08 - Cut dough vertically into 4 equal strips, stack strips on top of each other, then cut the stack into 6 equal pieces.
09 - Place stacks upright in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
10 - Cover loosely and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F during this time.
11 - Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
12 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
13 - Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The moment you pull apart the first warm piece and the cheese stretches with you
  • Leftovers never make it to morning people just hover around the pan
02 -
  • Warm water should feel like a comfortable bath not hot to touch or yeast dies instantly
  • The stacking technique creates those beautiful layers but work quickly once filling is spread
03 -
  • A bench scraper makes cutting those stacked strips so much cleaner than a knife
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly into the filling

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