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Roasted Red Pepper Babka
Updated: Aug 19
This braided, twist bread is filled with a smoky red pepper Romesco sauce. Beautifully soft and spongy, with flavours of smoky and sweet roasted peppers and spices.
Who doesn't love a piece of delicious savoury bread. Especially if its filled with my favourite Romesco sauce!
WHAT IS A BABKA
A babka is a yeast based bread, spread with a filling of choice, then rolled and twisted into a braided design before baking. Babka originated in the Jewish communities when left-over challah dough was rolled up with jam, cinnamon or even cheese and baked as a loaf.
I believe the original recipes were mostly sweet with fillings such as nuts, cinnamon, fruit or chocolate, however can be made with a sweet or savoury filling.
WHAT IS A ROMESCO SAUCE
This is a sauce made with roasted red peppers, tomato paste, nuts, garlic, spices and olive oil.
It is simply divine!
You can use jarred roasted peppers to make the sauce, I personally prefer roasting fresh peppers in the oven.
HOW TO MAKE THE BABKA
Mix all the ingredients for the dough and knead the dough for 6 - 8 min. It is important to work the dough to develop the gluten strands in the dough, as this helps traps air and lets the bread rise.
After kneading, let the dough proof for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Let it proof in a warm area. It needs to be at least double in size.
Once it has proved, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into rectangular shape.
Spread with the filling, in this case the Romesco sauce.
Roll it up lengthwise.
Cut the roll down the centre, but keep one end still together (as picture below, right)
Make sure to use a sharp knife (not a serrated knife)
Now start the braiding until reaching the end of the dough.
Pinch the ends together.
Transfer onto your prepared baking tray or bread loaf tin* and let it proof a second time for 30 - 40 minutes.
Before placing it in the oven to bake, brush the dough with a bit of oat or almond milk.
* If you prefer a loaf shape, you can bake this in a bread loaf tin.
If you are baking it in a bread loaf tin, simple place the braided dough into the bread tin before the second proofing.
Bake in the oven until golden.
If the bread is getting too dark after the first 20min, simply cover with aluminium foil and continue the baking process.
BEST WAYS TO ENJOY THIS
with soups or stews
as a side with salads or a BBQ
enjoy just as it is or dip it into hummus
use a slice of this to mob up the pasta sauce at the bottom of your plate
make a simple sandwich
especially good with this mushroom-walnut pate or vegan cream cheese and fresh basil and tomato slices
make savoury fresh toast
ENJOY WITH
SWEET ALTERNATIVES
chocolate and chopped nuts
Almond paste
poppy seeds
cinnamon, dried fruits and sugar
berry jams
Nutella
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
ROASTED RED PEPPER BABKA
Great to have as a side with a big salads and hummus or as a side for a summer BBQ. Delicious with soups and stews or simply drizzled with a bit of basil pesto.
Makes 1 large loaf
Total time: 50 – 60 min, excluding proofing time
FOR THE BREAD
INGREDIENTS
400g all purpose 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 ROMESCO SAUCE FILLING
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup whole almonds
1 fresh red bell pepper or 1 roasted red pepper from a jar
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 clove garlic
1 tsp red wine vinegar
3 - 4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chipotle paste (optional, but recommended)
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the flour, yeast, caster sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and give a quick mix.
Add the oat milk and olive oil and bring the dough together using a spoon or your hands.
Lightly 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. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour. If its too dry, a another teaspoon oat milk.
After kneading 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.
Roast the almonds under the grill in the oven for about 5 minutes or until starting to toast. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Cut the bell pepper in half and remove the stalk, seeds and the white membrane.
Place the pepper under a hot grill with the skin side up, turning as the skin blackens and chars.
Once charred all over remove the peppers and place them in a bowl, cover with cling film OR put them in a plastic bag and leave to cool.
Once the peppers are cooled you should be able to peel the skin away easily.
Place all the remaining ingredients for the sauce, along with the cooled almonds and peeled pepper in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
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 the romesco sauce. 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 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.
Have you made this?
If you have, I would love to see your creations on Instagram.
Make sure to leave a review below and give it a rating.
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