Christmas meets pizza: The tear-and-share bread shaped like a tree your family will love

This tree-shaped bread, perfect for sharing, is not only scrumptious but also fills the room with a wonderful aroma of cheese and herbs. The resemblance to a Christmas tree adds an uncanny touch to its visual allure. You should give this recipe a go.

The integral part of this tree-shaped bread is the cheese, filling the dough with flavors. The recipe recommends using both hard and soft mozzarella, which stretches delightfully after baking. However, remember that this recipe is merely an inspiration and you could use other cheese varieties for the filling.

The choice of seasoning is crucial. Basil, oregano, Provencal herbs, garlic, ground pepper or chili flakes impeccably compliment this dish. To top it off, sprinkle freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmesan on the tree. The bread can be served with sides like ketchup, garlic sauce, or herb sauce.

Ingredients:

• 14 oz (1 package) fresh pizza base or homemade dough,
• 4 sticks of mozzarella,
• 1 mozzarella ball,
• 1 egg,
• 3 cloves of garlic,
• Parmesan shavings,
• fresh parsley,
• a mix of favorite spices,
• salt and pepper.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the dough; if doing it from scratch, roll it out into a large square.
2. Cut the cheese into smaller pieces.
3. Divide the pizza base into small squares; you should be able to get roughly 35 squares from the specified dough amount.
4. Place cheese and spices onto each dough piece.
5. Pinch the corners of the squares towards the center, forming a ball of dough with cheese nestled inside.
6. Assemble the prepared balls on a baking sheet, shaping them like a tree (make sure to leave some space between them as the dough will expand).
7. Mix the egg with crushed garlic, salt, and pepper to create the glaze, and apply it on the yeast balls.
8. Bake the bread-tree in a preheated oven at 482 F for 12-15 minutes.
9. Garnish the finished bread-tree with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan before serving.