Monday, December 20, 2010

Whole Grain Rolls with Parsley and Olive Oil - Yum!


I have to admit I was a little skeptical. These rolls sounded just toooo easy! And yummy! And they were. This is the second time I have tried a variation on a recipe from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients
and the second time I have been pleased with the results. It's just a great cookbook. The best part of using his method for making dough, is how easy it is to make a big batch, and then keep it for a week or so in the refrigerator. Then, of course, there are all the variations on the 'Master Recipe'. These rolls are one of those variations, an adaptation of his whole grain 'Master Recipe' The addition of lightly sauteed parsley and garlic topped with shredded cheese make wonderful rolls that are healthy and that keep really well. But, truthfully, they were gone in a day or so. So it wasn't really an issue!!

Here's What You'll Need for 1 batch of the Master Dough:
 5 1/2 cups (720g) whole wheat flour
2 cups (270g) AP flour
1 1/2 Tbs. (15g) yeast
1 Tbs. salt
1/4 cup (35g) wheat gluten
4 cups (900ml) warm water
a large bunch of fresh parsley (no stems) chopped coarsley
3 or 4 large cloves of fresh garlic chopped coarsely
some olive oil for sauteeing
some cornmeal or semolina for dusting the peel or baking sheet

Here's What You'll Need to Do:
1. Mix together the dry ingredients (the flours, yeast, salt, wheat gluten) in a large container with a (not air-tight) lid.

2. Mix in the water just until the dry ingredients are hydrated. You do not have to knead the dough! Cover and let it rise and rest for about 2 hours or until the dough rises and then collapses back on itself.
3. At this stage you can put the whole container into the refrigerator overnight to develop the flavors fully. Or you can bake a portion of the dough immediately. However, for best flavor it is recommended to let the dough rest overnight.
4. This dough can remain in the refrigerator for as much as 14 days! When you are ready to bake, cut off a portion weighing about 1 lb (450g).Be careful not to degas the dough. This dough traps gas inside and if you knead it, it will produce dense loaves of bread, not light and fluffy!!
5. Cut off portions of the dough weighing about 3oz. (about 85g) roll them into 'snakes' and tie them into loose knots.

6. Place the 'knotted dough' on a baking sheet covered with cornmeal or with baking paper. Cover and let rest for about 45 minutes to relax and rise slightly.
7. In the meantime, chop the parsley roughly along with the garlic and sautee them lightly in the olive oil. Just before baking, brush the rolls with olive oil from the pan, and sprinkle the sauteed parsley and garlic

over the top. Add finely grated cheese if you like on top of all that.

8. Preheat the oven to 450 F (220 C). When the rolls have finished rising, bake them for about 15 minutes until golden brown and your kitchen smells heavenly.

9. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.

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