Torpedo Loaves for Street Sandwiches
Source: Real American Food by Jane and Michael Stern
Makes 8 rolls

An all-day job, these rolls induce major feelings of accomplishment in the chef. There is nothing better for a two-fisted sandwich of any kind, from Italian Beef to Philadelphia Hoagie.

2 pkg dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 cups tepid water
5 to 5 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
Semolina or yellow corn meal.

Combine yeast and sugar with 1/2 cup of the water. In a large bowl, mix 5 cups of the flour, salt, olive oil and remaining 1 1/2 cups water. When yeast is foamy, add it, stirring vigorously until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured board, clean and oil bowl.

Knead dough 10 full minutes, adding flour if necessary. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Return to bowl, roll dough to cover with oil and cover bowl with a double layer of plastic wrap. Let rise in a cool place (about 65 degrees) up to four hours, until it nearly triples in size.

Punch down dough, cover, let rise again until double (1 - 2 hours.) Preheat oven to 400. Punch down dough and divide it into quarters, divide each quarter into two pieces. Form each piece into a torpedo shaped cylinder 8-inch long and place on a baking sheet or stone dusted with semolina or cornmeal. Slash top of each roll with a razor blade.

Using a plant atomizer filled with cold water, spray a mist on each roll and pop them into the oven. Five minutes later open the oven door and mist rolls again. (Keep door open as briefly as possible.) Repeat after another five minutes. Bake a total of 22 minutes, until rolls are nicely browned. Remove from baking stone and cool on wire rack.