Italian Monkey Bread

LA has an abundance of farmer's markets, and I've been here almost two years, but I had yet to partake in one.  That is until last weekend.  I don't know what took me so long because it was more magical than I could have imagined.  Items from fresh fruits to seafood to pies lined the walkway.  It was hard to not buy everything.  However, the one stand that won all of my money was the olive oil and mozzarella stand.

Having spent an extended period of time in Spain, I've become a little bit of an olive oil connoisseur.  Nothing beats single estate Spanish olive oil.  It has an earthy flavor that is a bit of an acquired taste, but makes dishes fuller in flavor.  Single estate just means that it is made from a single source rather than a blend of different oils.

Quality olive oil also has a lot of benefits.  My hair never looked better after eating home cooked meals filled with olive oil every night.  It also acts as an anti-inflammatory and despite it's fat content, helps fight obesity along with many other health problems.  Look good inside and out.

Because of my new purchases (two bottles of homegrown olive oil and homemade mozzarella - yummm) I needed to find a dish that would utilize the quality ingredients.  Despite my love of Spain, it's food doesn't get me quite as excited as it's Italian counterparts.  Since I had extra time due to my extended time off I went with something traditional in ingredients, but a little more out of the box in presentation.

If you are cooking for kids, or just want to eat like one, this meal is perfect.  I know I've been on a health kick lately, but I couldn't resist the fun that this dish packs into each bite.

You may be familiar with the original version of this dish that resembles a cinnamon bun.  However, this time I wanted to make it into a savory main dish, so I tried out two different popular italian flavors in order to use my oil and mozzarella.  Half of the ring is bruschetta and the other half is pepperoni pizza.  Appetizer and main course in one.

Italian Monkeybread (Bruschetta and Pepperoni Pizza)

Ingredients: (Double the filling ingredients other than the cheese if only making one flavor)

2 lbs of Pizza Dough (two of those pop open tubes)

24 slices of Pepperoni
6 oz of Mozzarella Cheese
12 Cherry Tomatoes
24 medium Basil Leaves
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
Parmesan cheese for topping
Oregano to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Marinara Sauce and Balsamic Vinaigrette for dipping

Directions:

Chop up the garlic before starting.  Let it sit until you are forming thedough balls.  Garlic is packed with health benefits, but they only gain these benefits if they sit out for at least five minutes after being chopped.

Pull dough into large marble sized balls and flatten them to just slightly bigger than a pepperoni slice.

Cut tomatoes in half and season with salt and pepper.

Place tomatoes, basil and half of the cheese (divided up evenly) on top of half the dough.  On the other half place the remaining cheese and pepperoni slices.

Heat the oil in a pan and cook the garlic until just beginning to brown.  About 8 minutes

Fold the dough over the ingredients, forming balls.

Take a brush and coat the inside of a bundt pan with the garlic oil.  Place the first layer of dough balls and brush on more oil.  Top with parmesan and oregano on the pepperoni bites and salt and pepper on the bruschetta bites.  Repeat with each layer.

Let dough sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 400.

Bake dough for 30 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

Let sit for an extra 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Serve with marinara and balsamic vinaigrette.