Savory GF Sourdough Monkey Bread

This recipe was inspired by two things: one, a long-time craving for something close to a pizza bread that I can eat and enjoy without worrying about food allergies, and two, an offer from a bakeware company for me to try out one of their products.

First, the monkey bread:

The flavors of pecorino, cracked pepper, olive oil, and a hint of garlic in a form that's easy to eat and share. The additional step to shape the partially proofed bread into dough balls is worth it because you end up with a fun "loaf" that you can pull apart with your hands and pop in your mouth. It has a fluffy and slightly spongy texture with a little bit of crunch at the edges that touch the cast iron. The color of the bread balls depends on the type of AP flour you use. Mine has sorghum and buckwheat, which have yellow and brown overtones.

The right techniques and tools:

Kook Dutch Oven

This recipe gets all of its rise and lift from an active sourdough starter, solid proofing and the correct heat from the baking container. When I was recently contacted and asked if I would like to try a Kook Dutch Oven with one of my recipes, I said "sure" because I really like cast iron for certain recipes because of its excellent heat retention and transfer properties.

The shape and volume of the bakeware also play a critical role, as they support the dough rise and, particularly when lids are used, keep moisture and heat in during important stages of the baking process.

So, with inspiration coming from several directions simultaneously, it was time to develop a recipe to work with this particular Dutch oven. And I have to say, I'm happy with the results.

Get to the recipe already, will you?

Try it, and enjoy! Happy Bendy Baking!