It’s 5:30am on a Sunday and I’m up for two reasons. One, I need to get into the routine of waking at 4:30 to get to work for my pediatrics rotation for these next two weeks, and two, because I need to send my parents to the airport! They’re headed to mountainous Asheville, North Carolina, to appreciate a change of landscape and in particular the fall foliage. So in the continued spirit of fall, today’s recipe is a savory twist on garlic bread. Pumpkin and extra virgin olive oil pair up to fluff-ify the dough and give it a tender crumb, while crunchy bits of garlic and herbs add a touch of contrasting texture.

Herby Pumpkin Garlic Bread

Makes one 8″ x 11.5″ loaf

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup water, warm
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 400g (3 1/3 cups) flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Directions

1. In a skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil and garlic on low heat till aromatic. Remove from heat and add thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. Let cool.
2. In a small bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes while the yeast dissolves.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir in 1/4 cup of the oil mixture. Next, stir in the pumpkin puree. Lastly, stir in the yeast mixture till the dough comes together.
4. Knead the dough 10 times till smooth (note: the dough will be somewhat sticky but that is ok). Cover and let rise for 1 hour or till the dough doubles in size.
5. Oil a 8″ x 11.5″ baking dish with 1 tbsp of the oil mixture. Turn the dough out into the baking dish and use your fingers to press the dough out to the edges and dimple the dough as you would for focaccia. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp of the oil mixture on top. Let the dough rise again for 20 minutes.
6. Bake at 450F for 15 minutes or till golden brown.