The Modern Baker: Rosemary Olive Knots

Here’s a recipe that satisfies everything I want in one: it’s easy to prepare, tastes great, and looks wonderful. The easy part is the dough – you just stir the ingredients together and you’re finished – no kneading, no beating, no machines to wash… The great flavor is partly from the dough itself which has a drizzle of olive oil in it and from the dough’s filling – chopped olives, chopped fresh rosemary, a little more oil, and some freshly ground black pepper. The appetizing look of these rolls comes from the bits of the olive and rosemary filling peeking through after the rolls are formed and baked.

A couple of precautions to remember: Dissolve the yeast in warm water – that’s about 110 degrees maximum, and only a little more than 10 degrees warmer than the fingertip you’re using to test the temperature. Hot water will turn you into a yeast-assassin – the yeast will die as soon as it hits the water and your dough won’t rise, no matter how long you wait. The dough is very soft – it’s deliberately so to make it easy to mix. If you find it’s a little unmanageable when you turn it out onto the work surface from the bowl where it was rising, use any kind of scraper or wide spatula to fold the dough over onto itself all around several times – this will slightly stretch the strands of protein in the dough known as gluten and make the dough more elastic and easier to handle. Don’t be afraid to flour the work surface generously – this isn’t a butter-rich pastry dough which would toughen from absorbing a little extra flour.

I like to fill these with anything that will stand up to the assertive flavors of the rosemary and olives in the dough. Roasted peppers marinated in garlic and olive oil and a little crumbled goat cheese or a couple of paper-thin slices of prosciutto; a slice or mozzarella and one of a ripe tomato (or a few strips of sun-dried tomato soaked in warm water, drained, and dressed with some olive oil) and a few leaves of fresh basil; or thin slices of Gruyere spread with Dijon mustard and a sprinkle of chopped toasted walnuts all make great fillings. Go ahead and make up your own combinations – just keep them well seasoned and fairly simple.

Have fun with these and remember that they’re great on a holiday buffet or as a component of a casual lunch with a salad and some fruit for dessert.

Makes 12 medium rolls

DOUGH

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees
3 tablespoons olive oil

FILLING

1/2 cup pitted Gaeta, Kalamata, or oil-cured olives cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A cookie sheet or jellyroll pan covered with parchment or foil

1. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir well to mix.
2. Whisk the yeast into the water in a small bowl and whisk in the oil.Pour the liquid into the bowl and use a large rubber spatula to stir everything together to form a sticky dough.
3. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about an hour or until it is double.
4. Scrape the dough to a floured work surface and lightly flour the top of the dough.Pat the dough into a 10-inch square.Fold the dough into thirds and slide both hands under it, palms up and flat, and lift it to a floured cookie sheet or small cutting board.Unfold the dough, even out the shape, and cover it with plastic wrap.Chill the dough for about an hour or until it firms up.
5. While the dough is chilling, combine the olives, rosemary, oil, and pepper in a small bowl and stir well to mix.
6. When the dough is firm, remove it from the refrigerator, leaving it on the pan or board.Evenly distribute the filling on the bottom half of the dough in a 5 x 10-inch rectangle.Fold the top half of the dough down over the filling without pulling on it or stretching it, and press well with the palms of your hands to adhere.
7. Use a sharp pizza wheel to cut the dough into12 equal strips, each about 3/4-inch wide and 5 inches long.Don’t attempt to move the strips of dough, but bring the prepared pan next to them. Pick up one of the strands of dough and gently stretch it to about 7 inches.Loosely knot the strip of dough, letting one end of the strip protrude slightly at the top and arranging the other end under the roll.Place the formed roll on the prepared pan, leaving about 2 inches all around.Repeat with the remaining strips of dough.
8. Cover the pan with a towel or oiled plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until they are double, about an hour.
9. About 20 minutes before the rolls are completely risen, set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
10. Bake the rolls until they are well risen, deep golden, and feel firm to the touch, about 20 to 30 minutes.
11. Cool the rolls on a rack.

Learn more time-saving techniques for bread, tarts, pies, cakes, and cookies from The Modern Baker.