Butternut Squash Sage Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roast the Squash:

1. Add the butternut squash to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

2. Bake for 30 minutes until the squash is tender and starting to brown around the edges.

Dough:

1. Transfer the squash to a large bowl and mash until smooth.

2. In a separate large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, ginger, sage, olive oil, and maple syrup.

3. Stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Add 1 cup of the mashed butternut squash (save the rest for another use) and work with hands until the dough begins to come together.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

5. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place until doubled in size.

Maple Olive Oil:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, maple syrup, and salt.

To Assemble and Bake:

1. Once the dough has risen, roll out to about a 20-inch wide circle. Brush with maple olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped sage.

2. Cut the dough into about 1½-inch squares. Roll up each dough square like a jelly roll.

3. Place the dough pieces in a greased 8½x4½-inch loaf pan with the cut sides up. Loosely cover the loaf pan with a kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

4. Towards the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Lightly brush the top of the proofed loaf with maple olive oil and garnish with the whole sage leaves.

6. Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

7. Let the bread cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!