Crusty Cornstalk Rolls

From the kitchen of Carly

Cornmeal adds texture and subtle sweetness to these rustic rolls with their signature crackling crust. The dough comes together easily, then develops into something beautifully elastic. Golden, crusty, and sturdy enough to soak up gravy or butter.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 11 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (from a 1/4-ounce package)
  • 11 1/4 cups warm water (105-115°F), divided
  • 11 teaspoon mild honey or sugar
  • 12 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading and dusting
  • 10
  • 11 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon stone-ground yellow cornmeal, divided
  • 1Equipment: a spray bottle filled with water

Instructions

  1. Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, and honey in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)

  2. Mix flour, salt, 1/2 cup cornmeal, and remaining cup warm water into yeast mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.

  3. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and knead, dusting surface and your hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is elastic and smooth, 6 to 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball.

  4. Put dough in an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

  5. Punch down dough (do not knead) and fold into thirds like a letter (dough will be soft), then gently roll into a 12-inch-long log with lightly floured hands.

  6. Sprinkle a large baking sheet evenly with remaining 2 tablespoon cornmeal and put dough diagonally in center. Alternating sides, make 3-inch-long diagonal cuts, about 1 1/2 inches apart, into sides of log using kitchen shears (ends of cuts should not touch; maintain a center "stalk"). Gently pull apart cuts to stretch dough, forming rolls that are separate (about 1 1/2 inches apart) but connected to center stalk. Cover with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  7. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.

  8. Spray rolls with water, then bake, spraying into oven 3 times in first 5 minutes of baking (to help form a crust), until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer rolls to a rack and cool at least 20 minutes.