What's for Dinner

Well, this wasn't all we had for dinner. I also made Split Pea with Andouille Sausage soup, but since it doesn't look all that appetizing, I'll spare you the picture. Besides, I've made this soup before. The big thing for me were these simple dinner rolls. Bread is intimidating to me. I tend to stick with what I know: pizza dough and challah. I make pizza about every other week and challah about once a week. I've been wanting to try out a simple dinner roll recipe, but have been overwhelmed by the variety of recipes. I found this one on Cook's Illustrated website. But, you have to have a membership to access their recipes, so I'll post it here and hope they don't sue me :) I thought the rolling part seemed a bit tedious when I read through it, but it was really easy. And they are right about needing a stand mixer. The consistency of the dough was amazing! It was so soft and wet, but didn't stick to my fingers. This was probably thanks to the stick of butter. And they tasted very good, no need for more butter.

By the way, if you have never looked at the Cook's Illustrated magazine before, take a gander. It's the best! No advertisements and it's very educational. With every recipe there is a discussion about what the cook went through while trying to conceive the recipe. There is also a section with little helpful hints for the kitchen. It's a great read.

RICH AND TENDER AMERICAN DINNER ROLLS

Makes about 2 dozen triangular rolls. Published November 1, 1999.

To ensure the softest, most tender rolls, avoid flouring the work surface during hand kneading; if necessary, flour your hands instead. The flour that you use to dust the work surface during shaping stays on the surface of the dough and is meant to give the rolls a soft, delicate look. The dough is best made in a standing mixer; there is too large a quantity of soft dough for a food processor, and it is difficult to make by hand. You will need four cookie sheets for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 package rapid-rise yeast
1 large egg , beaten lightly
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for work surface and dusting rolls
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces and softened

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Once oven reaches 200 degrees, maintain oven temperature 10 minutes, then turn off oven heat.

2. Microwave milk and sugar in microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl at full power until warm (about 95 degrees). (Alternatively, heat milk and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until warm; remove from heat.) Whisk to dissolve sugar. Sprinkle yeast over surface of liquid, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 10 minutes to soften yeast. Whisk egg into milk mixture, dissolving yeast.

3. Combine flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on lowest speed to blend, about 15 seconds. With mixer running, add milk mixture in steady stream; mix on low speed until flour is just moistened, about 1 minute. With mixer running, add butter one piece at a time; increase speed to medium and beat until combined and dough is scrappy, about 2 minutes. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough until smooth but still sticky, about 4 minutes. Scrape dough out onto work surface. Knead by hand until very smooth and soft but no longer sticky, about 1 minute; do not add more flour. Transfer dough to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Punch down dough, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rest 5 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and follow illustrations 1 through 8 (below) to shape and cut into triangles. Transfer rolls to cookie sheet, then cover with clean kitchen towels and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Slide each cookie sheet with rolls onto another cookie sheet to prevent bottom crust from overbrowning; bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating cookie sheets front to back and switching positions from top to bottom halfway through baking time. Transfer rolls immediately to wire rack; cool 5 minutes and serve.

STEP-BY-STEP
Forming the Rolls

1. Lightly flour work surface, and pat dough into 9-inch square. Fold dough into thirds, folding upper 3 inches down and lower 3 inches up. Pinch together edges to seal.

2. Using the side of your outstretched hand, firmly press an indentation along the length of the dough.

3. Fold and roll upper sealed edge of dough toward center indentation, pressing firmly with your fingertips to seal.

4. Pull the upper edges of the dough down over the thick portion to meet the seam, pressing with your fingertips to seal. Repeat 5 or 6 times. The dough will lengthen and form a taut, narrow cylinder about 17 inches long.

5. Dust with flour, then roll the dough seam-side up and pinch firmly to seal.

6. Press an indentation into the length of the dough along the seam with the side of your open hand. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to form a long, taut cylinder.

7. Gently stretch and roll the dough cylinder until it measures 36 inches long and about 21⁄2 inches wide.

8. Holding the bench scraper at a 45-degree angle to the cylinder, lop off one end. Cut triangular-shaped rolls along dough, alternating the scraper 45-degrees to right and left. You should get 24 rolls.