Pull Apart Onion Bread for #BreadBakers

This month's Bread Bakers is brought to you by Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories.   Karen chose the theme, Root Vegetables, for this month.  Karen's invitation stated "onions, shallots, carrots, potatoes, radishes, rutabegas, parsnips, ginger, turnips...or any other root veggie....your choice".

What a fun theme.  My first thought was potato rolls.  Not very imaginative but I have been wanting to make them.  Then there is always garlic bread....I love all things garlic but I had already posted these Garlic Pull Apart Rolls earlier this year for Bread Bakers.

Then I came across this recipe at FoodandWine.com.  I knew right away that it was going to be a winner.  How can you go wrong with caramelized onions, poppy seeds,  and Gruyere cheese?  I made this recipe just as written and it was marvelous.

This is a quick bread using baking soda and baking powder instead of yeast to help it rise, so it is ready in less than an hour.  Perfect for those busy days when you want a slice of warm, fresh bread but don't have time to allow proofing.

Start by caramelizing the onions.  While they cook, grate the cheese and make your dough.  When you are ready to assemble, roll the dough into a 24" long strip.  Cover with the onion and cheese and cut into 10 even pieces.

Now here is where I messed up just a bit.  I put them in the bread pan so that the layers were vertical instead of horizontal.  It didn't really affect the overall results.

It was a beautiful loaf to place upon the dinner table.  I served it alongside this Roasted Sweet Potato Soup that was the first course of a dinner party in our new home.

The only problem was that my guests ate so many slices of bread, I started to fear that they were not going to have room for the entree.

I hope that you make this bread and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  I know that this is going to become a regular in this household.  Frank actually moaned when he tasted it.  

Make sure you stop by and see the other breads inspired by root vegetables following this recipe.

Onion Pull Apart Bread

very slightly adapted from FoodandWine.com

1 stick butter, cubed

2 T. butter

1 lg. Vidalia onion, sliced

1 T. poppy seeds

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 c. shredded Gruyere cheese

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 c. buttermilk

Melt 2 T. butter in a large skillet over med high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and very golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds, transfer to a plate and refrigerate until cooled slightly, at least 5 minutes.  Stir in Gruyere cheese.

Place the cubed butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is the size of small peas.  Add the buttermilk and pulse until a soft dough forms, about 5 or 6 times.  Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead two or three times, until dough is no longer tacky.  Pat and roll the dough into a 2x24" rectangle.  Spread the onion mixture over the dough.  Cut the dough into 10 equal pieces, crosswise.  Stack the pieces, onion side up until the last piece which will be placed onion side down.  Lay the stack in a loaf pan that has been treated with cooking spray.

Place the loaf in a preheated 425* oven for 30 minutes, until risen and golden brown.  Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Print Recipe

More amazing breads featuring root vegetables

• Beetroot Bread from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Caramelized Onion Cheddar Bread from Hezzi-D's Cooks and Books
• Caramelized Onion Gouda Casatiello from Hostess at Heart
• Carrot Spiced and Teff Bread from kidsandchic
• Colocasia Root (Taro Root) Flatbread from Mayuri's Jikoni 
• Garlic and Herb Wreath Bread from Herbivore Cucina
• Garlic Cheese Bombs from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Ginger Sweet Rolls from Passion Kneaded
• Honey Beet Bread from Ambrosia Soulful Kitcnen
• Korean Onion Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Potato Dinner Rolls from Cook's Hideout
• Pull Apart Onion Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Rustic Parsnip Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Onion Pockets from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Stuffed Aloo Parathas from Sneha's Recipes
• Sweet Potato Bread from Cindy's Recipes and Writings

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.