Recipe: Oaten Rolls with Herbs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

OATEN ROLLS WITH HERBS AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES



"These dinner rolls are streaked with sun-dried tomatoes and infused with the flavor of fresh herbs. Serve with a soft wedge of room-temperature Teleme cheese or slices of Vermont cheddar, accompanied by a glass of chilled white."

FOR THE SPONGE:
1 tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats

FOR THE DOUGH:
1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour, divided use
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, dill, or rosemary
1 cup well-drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Sun-dried tomato oil, for brushing

TO MAKE THE SPONGE:
In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and 2 cups warm water. Add the whole-wheat and bread flours and oats; beat hard with a large whisk until creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until bubbly and double in bulk, about 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
In a large bowl using a whisk or in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sponge, olive oil, salt, and 1 cup of the bread flour. Beat hard for 1 minute. Add the herbs and tomatoes. Add the remaining bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until a soft, shaggy dough that just clears the sides of the bowl forms, switching to a wooden spoon when necessary if making by hand.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead until the dough is soft, smooth, and springy, 1 to 2 minutes for a machine-mixed dough and 3 to 5 minutes for a hand-mixed dough, dusting with flour only 1 tablespoon at a time, just enough as needed to prevent sticking. Place in a lightly greased deep container, turn once to coat the top, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

TO MAKE THE ROLLS:
Grease 20 standard muffin cups (you will need 2 muffin tins).

Turn the dough out onto the work surface and divide into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 5 equal pieces. Form each piece into a tight 2-inch ball and place in a prepared muffin cup, seam side down. Using floured kitchen shears, snip an X about 1-inch deep in the top of each roll. Brush with the sun-dried tomato oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until double in bulk, about 45 minutes.

About 20 minutes before baking, preheat an oven to 375 degrees F and position a rack in the center of the oven.

Bake the rolls until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the pans and serve hot, or cool on a rack and reheat before serving

Makes 20 rolls
Source: The Pleasures of Whole Grain Breads by Beth Hensperger