All Tied up in Knots!

I think I scored an unintentional touchdown.  When my kids showed up for dinner and football last Sunday I was going to surprise them with a recipe I’ve been fiddling with.

For weeks I’ve been making (and eating!) batches of Rosemary Garlic Knots and I thought they might get hooked on them, too.  I couldn’t help feeling a little smug about the whole thing knowing they’d be perfect with any Game Day specialty from a crock pot of chili to a platter of chicken wings.

garlic knots 9My knots were rising on the counter when my grandson, Patrick, spotted them.  ”Are those garlic knots?” he gasped.  Without so much as a pause his hands went up in the air like he was in the end zone. “Yeeeessss!”

Was I having one of my pre-senior moments? Baffled, I started second guessing myself.  ”Did I make these for you before?”

“No, grandma.  We get them at Pasquale’s in Buffalo!  I loooove them!”

I hadn’t counted that. His experienced taste buds raised the bar for my knots.

garlic knots 5I needn’t have worried.  Between a few “Mmmmms”  he managed to gobble down a number of them. Touchdown for grandma!  I may even have earned the extra point.

Knowing he’s got my sweet tooth and loves to pack a doggie bag, I offered him a little piece of cake.  ”No, thanks,” he chirped as he started pulling on his coat, “but are there any leftover Garlic Knots?” 

There weren’t many.  When you make them don’t be surprised if there are only crumbs of Parmesan left in your bread basket.  Why not give these a try next Game Day?  If anyone out there has one, I’m looking for a tried and true recipe for white chili to go with my next batch!  Let me know!

It’s likely I won’t see you at the Superbowl but I hope to see you around the bread bowl one day soon!  Don’t forget to like Kneading Life on Facebook or join my mailing list for posts and class information!

Mary

Rosemary Garlic Knots

Garlic butter filling/topping (make this first!):

6 T butter
5 large cloves of garlic
*1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese t

Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Squeeze the garlic cloves into the butter using a garlic press.  Warm gently then remove from heat.  The oils from the garlic will flavor the butter as it sits.  Reserve the Parmesan cheese for after the knots are baked.

Dough:
1 cup warm water 
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 T dried  rosemary

Combine the water, yeast, honey, and oil, stirring to combine. Let sit for a few minutes to let the yeast start working.
garlic knots 4Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the rosemary, and the salt.   Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition until the dough is Post-It note tacky. You may need to add a bit more flour.

Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes.  Dough should be smooth and elastic.

Oil the mixing bowl and place the dough back in the bowl turning to coat with the oil. Cover and allow to rise about an hour or so until double in size.

Gently deflate the dough and roll it into a 12 by 15 rectangle.

garlic knots 11Strain the garlic reserving the butter. Spread the garlic evenly over the rolled dough.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise so that you have two 6 x 15 inch pieces. A pizza cutter works great for this!

Cut each into 1 1/2 inch strips so that you have 20 even strips of dough.

Fold each strip in half lengthwise and pinch the edges gently together.

garlic knots 12garlic knots 13garlic knots 14Tie each strip loosely into a knot stretching gently if you have to.

Place on parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt, and allow to rise again until double in size (about 30 minutes).

Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush generously with the reserved garlic infused butter.  Sprinkle (also generously) with Parmesan cheese.  Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Delicious when served warm but great at room temperature, too! garlic knots 15IMG_3577PS: It’s never too early to start salivating over Thanksgiving leftovers!  If you missed it last year you might like to try this recipe for The Best-Bread-Ever-For-AThanksgiving-Sandwich! 

Patrick's first muiolatte.  He's still smiling at the end of the process! And he's 7.  If he can do it you can, too!

I’m also thinking about the rest of the holidays and our Cousin’s Baking Day.  One of our favorite things to make is Muiolatte….my grandmother’s stuffed Sicilian breads.  I hope you’ll love them as much as we do!

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4 thoughts on “All Tied up in Knots!

  1. Those look amazing! Rosemary is a favorite herb of mine. You might want to look into Rosemary Shortbreads for the holidays, my sister made then a few years back and they were a HUGE hit.

    • OMG, it’s true!!! Let me know how they come out! Watch out, they’re addicting. I’m thinking they’d be good even with a simple bowl of tomato soup.

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