herb bread rolls panini con erbe aromatiche

By stancec44

You can choose your favorite herbs to flavor these tender, dark-crusted rolls. Delicious on their own, they make an amazing sandwich. Note that the poolish (a pre-ferment made with yeast, flour and water that gives the bread its deep flavor) needs to stand at least 10 hours before using it, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients

• POOLISH
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup tepid water
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• DOUGH
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoons finely chopped mixed herbs, such as oregano, rosemary and thyme

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

POOLISH: In a bowl, stir together flour, water and yeast. Let mixture stand at room temperature at least hours or overnight.

DOUGH: Add flour, water, oil and salt to poolish; mix together to form dough. Turn out dough onto a clean surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Stretch and pat out dough into a 10-inch square and sprinkle with herbs. Knead, 1 minute, to incorporate herbs. Form dough into a ball, then transfer to a large bowl. Cover bowl with a clean, damp dishtowel and let dough rise, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Spread a clean, dry dishtowel on worksurface. Dust worksurface and dishtowel with flour. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; roll each piece into a ball. Cover balls with a clean damp dishtowel and let rest, 10 minutes. On worksurface, stretch one ball into a 2- x 8-inch rectangle. With short side of rectangle facing you, fold bottom edge to center, then fold top edge to center. Press firmly with fingertips to seal seams, then fold in half, folding bottom edge over top. Pinch together all seams, then gently roll dough to create a 5-inch-long loaf.

With the edge of your hand, firmly press center of loaf to create a deep indentation. Transfer loaf to prepared dishtowel. Repeat with remaining dough. Sprinkle flour over indentations, then cover loaves with a second clean, dry dishtowel. Let rise, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature, 25 minutes.

Heat oven to 450° with rack in middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange loaves on baking sheets. One batch at a time, bake rolls until deep golden, about 20 minutes. Let rolls cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes before serving.