basil black pepper goat cheese and onion bread

I made this bread the first time fairly soon after Dana wrote about it. I remember we ate it quickly. And then, I forgot about it. Fast forward to last weekend, when I picked up a book from my overflowing shelves and found the recipe written on a scrap piece of paper. So I pulled up the post again and made the bread. This time I used black pepper and basil goat cheese from the market that was first to hand out of the cheese shelf. I was a bit haphazard with stacking and laying the dough in the loaf pan and ended up with a more layered effect but it still tastes wonderful.

Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread (adapted from Dana Treat and Food &Wine)
Makes one 9-inch loaf

1½ sticks cold butter, 1 stick cubed
1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely grated black pepper and basil goat cheese (3 ounces)
2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk (1 c milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a large metal loaf pan. In a large skillet, melt the ½ stick of butter; pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a small bowl and reserve. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is softened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape the onion mixture onto a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes, until cooled slightly. Stir in the cheese.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cubed butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Add the buttermilk and pulse 5 or 6 times, just until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Pat or roll the dough into a 2-by-24-inch rectangle. Spread the onion mixture on top. Cut the dough crosswise into 10 pieces. Stack 9 pieces onion side up, then top with the final piece, onion-side down. Carefully lay the stack in the prepared loaf pan and brush with the reserved butter.

Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until it is golden and risen. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and serving.