Feb 1, 2021

bell pepper & tomato twist bread / babka

Updated: Aug 6, 2023

Soft, spongy bread with a pepper and sundried tomato filling.

I don’t bake bread nearly as much as I would like to, but when I do I love baking something like this twist bread.

BEST ENJOYED

as a side with a big salads
to soak up all the sauce from a saucy pasta dish
as a side with a summer BBQ/ braai
delicious with soups and stews
and my favourite of course with hummus, vegan cream cheese or basil pesto. Why not try this basil & walnut pesto with this bread, it is so delicious!
Slice the bread into tiny discs, roast them the oven for a few minutes and spread with vegan cream cheese, tomato slices and fresh basil for a delicious bruschetta starter.

WHAT IS A BABKA?

Twist breads are also known as Babka and are a yeast-based bread filled with either a sweet or savoury filling. The dough is rolled into a rectangle and filled with a filling of choice. Rolled into a 'sausage's shape it is cut and braided into a shape like this, then baked until golden.

AND THE FILLING ?

The filling in this recipe is very simple and made with

sautéed green or red bell peppers
caramelised onions
and sundried tomatoes.

Half of my family does not like the taste of garlic, so this filling is great to use if you are not a fan of garlic either.

What I love about a twist bread is changing the fillings means endless variations of this bread.

There are few things as amazing as incorporating roasted peppers into a bread and you will love that smell this brings into your kitchen while its baking.

Just look at that soft, spongy texture....

Making a twist bread is a lot easier than you might think, so why not give it a try next time you have a BBQ or as a side to a light lunch.

Makes 1 large loaf

Total time: 50 – 60 min, excluding proofing time

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

400g bread flour
7g dry instant yeast (1 sachet)
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
250ml oat or almond milk, room temperature
2 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE FILLING

½ green bell pepper, chopped into strips
1 small onion, sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper, to taste
4 or 5 sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
Olive or macadamia oil for frying
Dried herbs/ garlic (optional)
Vegan "feta" (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the flour, yeast, caster sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and give a quick mix.
Next add the oat milk and olive oil and bring the dough together using a spoon or your hands.
Dust your work surface with a bit of flour, tip the dough onto the surface and knead the dough by hand for 6 – 8 minutes.
Add a few drops of olive oil into the mixing bowl and place the dough back into the bowl. Cover with a wet tea towel and leave it in a warm place for at least 1½ - 2 hours.
While the dough is proofing make the filling: Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot add the sliced onions and fry for 4 - 5 minutes on low before adding the green bell pepper strips. If you are using herbs and garlic add them now. Fry them on low for another 5 minutes. Add a small dash of water and cover with a lid. Let it cook for about another minute two with the lid on.
Remove the lid and give the vegetables a good stir. Add the balsamic vinegar and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper and stir again. Cook until the onions and bell pepper strips are soft and slightly caramelised. If the vegetables are still not cooked add another dash of water if needed and cook for another minute or two with the lid on.
Remove from the pan from the heat and set the filling aside to cool.
After the dough has risen, knock it back and transfer the dough onto a floured surface. With a rolling pin roll out the dough into a rectangle about 2cm thick. Spread the dough with a bit of oil from the sundried tomatoes or olive oil and spread the fried mixture, sundried tomatoes and crumbled vegan feta over the dough. Make sure to leave a thin border all around. Roll the dough lengthwise into a long sausage shape.
Next, carefully slice down the middle of the rolled dough (lengthwise) so that it leaves you with two long strands. To braid the bread simply overlap the strands but keep the exposed filling facing upwards. Pinch the ends of the strands together so that the bread holds the its shape.
Transfer the bread onto a greased baking tray, cover the bread with a tea towel and let it rise for another 30 – 40 min.
Preheat the oven to 190 degree Celsius then place the bread in the oven and bake for 20 min. After 20 min, cover the bread with aluminium foil and bake for another 25 – 30 min. Remove from the oven and let it cool before slicing.