Rosemary, Caraway Seed and Cracked Wheat Rolls

, from Issue #56. August, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Rosemary, Caraway Seed and Cracked Wheat Rolls

Aromatic with caraway seeds and rosemary, a little chewy from the buckwheat and topped with a sprinkling of sea salt – these are everything great bread rolls should be.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup cracked wheat (burghul)
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon sea salt

Dough
2 cups high grade plain flour
2 cups wholemeal flour
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon whole caraway seeds, toasted
1½ cups milk, lukewarm
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup melted butter

To cook
1 egg, beaten
sea salt and sesame seeds for sprinkling

METHOD

Combine the cracked wheat, water and salt in a bowl and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Drain well then place in a clean tea towel and wring out as much water as possible. 

Dough: Combine all the dry ingredients, rosemary and caraway seeds in a large bowl then stir in the cracked wheat mixture, turning to coat the grains in the flour.

Stir the warm milk, honey and butter together then add to the bowl and stir to make a soft, sticky dough.

Tip onto a lightly floured bench and knead for 3 minutes until smooth and elastic. Try not to work in too much extra flour when kneading. Form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave for 1–2 hours in a warm place until doubled in volume.

Tip onto the bench and cut into 12 even pieces. Roll out into 40cm ropes then tie each piece into a double knot. It’s easier to roll out if the bench is mostly free of flour. 

Place the rolls on a lined baking sheet, spacing them 4cm apart. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 40 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

To cook: Gently brush the rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and the rolls sound hollow when tapped on the base. Serve warm with butter or olive oil. Makes 12 rolls

Cook’s tip:The cooked rolls freeze really well in a sealed plastic bag. To re-heat them, place the frozen rolls in a baking dish and cover with foil. Place in a preheated 180°C oven for about 30 minutes or until fully thawed and hot.