Soft Garlic Knots

These little garlic knots are a great accompaniment to any meal and they're super easy to make. The recipe, I ended up reworking to fit my immediate needs, actually had the dough rise 2 times instead of one. But, as fate would have it, whenever I plan to make rolls to go with dinner, I always forget to start making them until I'm half way done with dinner. I usually end up not making them because I don't have time for them to raise properly. However, I wasn't going to forgo these "knotty" things, they were just too tempting. It worked out for me, only letting them raise once and I actually only let them raise about 15 minutes. I think because my kitchen was already warm they rose quickly. Make sure you watch your dough so they raise as you would like them.

For the dough:
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 ¼ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup lukewarm milk
1 cup hot tap water


For the garlic butter:
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. Johnny's Garlic Spread & seasoning (If you can't find this you could substitute Italian seasoning and add a little fresh garlic)

In in a mixing bowl, fitted with dough hook, combine the the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil, milk and water. Mix about 10-20 seconds and check to see if additional flour or water is needed. Dough should look sticky. Knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly oiled surface.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10 inch long rope and tie into a knot. Take the end lying underneath the knot and bring it over the top, tucking it into the center. Take the end lying over the knot and tuck it underneath and into the center. (Watch here on YouTube if you need a visual). Transfer shaped rolls to a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Mix the melted butter and Johnny's seasoning. With pastry brush, brush each knot with garlic butter. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Yield:12 rolls
Calories per roll: 127