Garlic Knots
Photo by Mark Weinberg
MAKES
15 knots
TAKES
Prep time: 2 hours 45 minutes (includes rise times)
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
A good garlic knot should be lightly crisp on the outside, but soft and chewy inside. It should boast plenty of garlic flavor, a dusting of parmesan cheese, and a finger-licking level of butter swiped on the exterior. Serve these warm, with your favorite sauce for dipping - depending on my mood, I’ll dunk them in marinara, pesto, or even a cheesy cream sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Pizza Dough
240 g / 2 cups all-purpose flour
41 g / ¼ cup semolina flour
6 g / 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
3 g / ¾ teaspoons fine sea salt
3 g / ¾ teaspoon instant dry yeast
340 g / 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F / 45°C)
30 g / 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
Finishing
113 g / 8 tablespoons salted butter
10 g / 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
3 g / 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the butter
3 g / 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch or two red chile flakes (optional)
50 g / ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
6 g / 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
More Baking Fun This Way:
METHOD
1. Make the pizza dough: mix the dough -
To Mix the Dough by Hand: In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, sugar, if using, salt, and yeast to combine. Add the water and olive oil and mix with a spatula until a smooth dough forms, about 3 minutes.
To Mix in the Stand Mixer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, sugar, if using, salt, and yeast on low speed to combine, about 30 seconds. Add the water and olive oil and mix until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes.
2. Drizzle a glug of olive oil into a large bowl and use your hands to fully coat the inside of the bowl. Use your oiled hands to transfer the dough to the bowl, turning it over a few times to round it slightly and coat it in oil. Cover the dough and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 30 g each).
4. Working with one piece of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface, roll out each into a rope about 8 inch / 20 cm long.
5. Tie the strand into a loose knot. Tuck the ends of the dough under the knotted portion, making a neater round shape. Transfer the knot to the prepared baking sheet.
6. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, arranging the knots in staggered rows to fit 7 to 8 on each sheet.
7. Cover the trays loosely with greased plastic wrap, until they are noticeably puffy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Towards the end of rise time, preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C with the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
9. Make the garlic butter: in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low heat over low heat, swirling the pan constantly, for 1 minute, or until the butter is fragrant. Keep warm until ready to use (can re-melt if needed).
10. Uncover the knots, and brush the knots generously with garlic butter, using about half of the mixture. Transfer to the oven, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 28 minutes. Rotate the pans between racks halfway through baking.
11. Remove the pans from the oven, and immediately brush them with the remaining garlic butter, using the rest. Sprinkle the parmesan and parsley over the knots, and serve warm with sauce for dipping.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
