Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

My cabinets and refrigerator were getting down to the nitty gritty with suitable options for meals.  I even thought I had a great bacon wrapped chicken meal in sight...until I saw the bacon package in the freezer said "use by 13DEC2010"...not good.  In the trash that went.  Plan B...get resourceful!  I've become really good at finding recipes that involve ingredients I already have.  It's a bit of a search party and sometimes time-consuming but I always find some great recipes in the end. 

Let me begin by saying, I love pull-apart bread ever since my BF took me to Godfather's Pizza in Sacramento.  I once finished a Cinnamon Monkey Bread pizza all by my lonesome.  Look at it...how could one resist??

(Image Courtesy of Godfather's Pizza) 

So...I had everything to make this Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread that I found on The Pastry Affair.  Sure, it was only a side to the whole meal, but with a salad it was just enough for a dinner for two.  

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

Yields 1 loaf

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups barely warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose (or bread) flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese  

First, mix the yeast with the warm water in a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is a bit frothy.  Add olive oil, salt, and flour to the bowl.  I used a kneading technique as I don't own a mixer of any sort.  Knead the mix on a lightly floured surface for about 7-10 minutes or until elastic.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel for about 1.5-2 hours or until it rises to double its size.  

In the meantime, combine melted butter, parsley flakes, and minced garlic in a small bowl and set aside.  

Then, punch down the dough and pull apart pieces that are the size of a medium spoon (I ball parked and did balls a bit smaller than my palm).  I brushed the butter mixture over each ball and placed into a round pie pan (the recipe calls for a bundt pan but I don't own one and this pie pan worked perfectly...I think a square pan would work just as well).  I was able to get three circular layers of dough balls in my pan.  Then I sprinkled the Parmesan cheese over.  Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for a half hour.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (I always take out early..it was 25 minutes to perfection for me).  

Pull-apart and enjoy with a side of marinara sauce or ranch dressing!