Pesto Rolls

By MissHeather

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour and the yeast. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat and stir milk, water, butter, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt just until warm and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture and egg to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir in pesto. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much flour as you can.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a greased large bowl, turning once to grease the surface of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease forty eight 1 3/4" muffin cups. (if only able to cook part at a time, cover and chill remaining dough).

Equally divide each half of the dough into 24 portions. Shape each piece into a ball, pulling edges under to make a smooth top. Place 1 ball in each muffin cup, smooth side up. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 375. Bake about 12 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Immediately remove rolls from pans. Cool on wire racks.