Olive Oil Rolls

These olive oil rolls are absolutely delicious served with lamb burgers or with bbq meat sloppy joes or with just butter and jam. The olive oil makes them so rich. If you’re using them for a burger or other sandwich just top with the optional sesame or poppy seeds. Enjoy!

Makes 9 rolls

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup filtered water 115 degrees Fahrenheit
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cane sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt for the dough + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt for sprinkling on top of the rolls.
• 1 tablespoon melted butter + 1/2 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add active dry yeast, water, and cane sugar to a medium-sized bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
2. Once the yeast mixture becomes foamy, using a whisk, mix in the olive oil, egg yolk, and 1 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt.
3. Add about 2 cups of flour and stir with a wooden spoon.  Add an additional 1 cup of flour and stir until you can’t stir it anymore.
4. Add an additional 1/4-1/2 cups of flour in 1 tablespoon increments kneading about 3 minutes until the dough becomes pliable and satiny and doesn’t stick to your hands.  
5. Place the dough into a buttered bowl and turn to coat the dough with a little of the oil.
6. Sprinkle some flour on top and cover the bowl with saran wrap.  Let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour.
7. Once the dough has doubled in size remove it from the bowl and break off a small handful of the dough. Weigh the dough you just removed and add or take away enough dough, so it weighs approximately 75 grams. Proceed with forming the rest of the dough into disc-shapes or approximate the dough into equal-sized balls.
8. Place the formed rolls on a large buttered cookie sheet about 1 inch apart and cover with a towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
9. Prepare an egg wash by cracking a whole egg into a small bowl and whisking in 1/2 teaspoon water with the egg. Coat the tops of the rolls with the egg wash using a pastry brush and sprinkle on about 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt split between the rolls. 
10. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. Once the rolls have finished rising, melt ½ tablespoon of butter and brush the top of the rolls with the butter and place them in the oven.  
12. Bake the rolls for approximately 12 – 15 minutes until the tops are lightly golden.
13. Once the rolls have baked about 10 minutes, brush the tops of the rolls with the 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle on the optional sesame seeds. Continue baking the rolls until the tops are lightly golden about another 2-5 more minutes.

Source:  Adapted from Tara’s Multicultural Table