Pesto braided bread

Ingredients:

Water-1 cup
Sugar-1 tsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt-1 tsp
Instant Yeast-2 tsp
Bread flour-2.5 cups
Pesto-3-4 tbsp

Method:

Yeast preparation:

1. Heat water and make sure the temperature is close to your body temperature. It should not be too hot or too cold.
2. Add yeast, sugar to a bowl and then add water. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or until the mixture becomes frothy. Sugar makes the mix more frothy. If the mix doesn't become frothy, it means that the yeast is gone bad. Do not use the yeast in that case. Meanwhile work on the other ingredients.

Dough preparation:

1. Mix flour and salt and transfer to food processor. Using dough blade, add water slowly and mix everything. Let the dough rest for 5-7 min. Then mix again for 2 min. (If you do not have food processor use hand to knead and follow the same process. Knead, rest and knead).
2. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball.
3. Place the dough in a deep oiled bowl for the first rise. Make sure there is enough space for the dough when it gets doubled.
4. Coat the dough with oil properly and cover the bowl with damp cloth or a plastic wrap.
5. Let the dough rest for 1 hr (I use oven for the rise because oven is always warm). The dough should atleast double its original size.
6. Transfer the dough back to floured surface (pizza stone or parchment paper on a countertop). Knead again and roll into a rectangle. Gently roll the dough with a rolling pin into 18×12 inch rectangle.
7. Spread pesto evenly on the surface. Leave half inch space on the border.
8. Roll along the longer edge and pinch the ends.
9. Slice lengthwise slowly into two halves.
10. Braid and form a circle. Make sure the pleated end faces outside when braiding. Close the circle by pinching both ends together. If the dough is on a parchment paper, transfer it to the baking pan along with parchment paper.
11. Let it rise for 30 min.
12. Heat the oven to 425F. If you are using oven for the second rise, transfer it to the counter top while the oven gets heated.
13. Bake for 25-35 min till crispy and brown. Turn off the oven and leave it inside for another 15 min.
14. Let it cool down and serve with sumac and chilly infused olive oil.