Introduction: Chimichurri Rolls With Chili

By The Tiny Chapel
About: i'm retired from a low stress university job in a large ag college within an enormous state university. I loved that, but I love retirement even more.

These tender and flavorful little rolls are great for sandwiches, or as here, with venison chili. The basic recipe appeared in the King Arthur flour newsletter The Baking Sheet in 2001.

Step 1: Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces) water

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) olive oil (or use garlic oil and skip the garlic below)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons minced processed garlic (the stuff in a jar) OR 2 teaspoons minced, sauteed garlic*

3 tablespoons (5/8 ounce) Golden Baking Onions OR canned "french-fried" onions OR chopped, sauteed onions

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon (3/8 ounce) sugar

3 cups (13 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast

*Do not use fresh raw garlic here as enzymes in it will inhibit the yeast activity. Use the stuff in a jar.

Step 2: Mix

Mix all the ingredients for four minutes using the paddle attachment, then for seven minutes using the bread hook.

Step 3: Divide

Get the gloppy dough out and divide into twelve pieces, as equal as possible. Start by dividing into three pieces, then divide each of those into four pieces.

Step 4: Prepare Baking Sheet, Shape, and Proof

Put parchment paper on your baking sheet and sprinkle cornmeal on that. Coat your hands with oil and shape the dough pieces into balls. Place the balls at least two inches apart onto the baking sheet. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and proof for 45 minutes until nicely puffy. While this proofing is in progress, pre-heat the oven to 375F.

If you are serving with chili or sloppy joe, warm that up as well. These rolls make wonderful little slider rolls for burgers too.

Step 5: Bake

Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes until light golden brown. A very good thing to do is to check the bottom of one roll at 15 minutes as the bottoms will brown faster than the tops and you don't want perfect looking tops with burned bottoms. Ouch! When done, remove from oven and cool on racks. Then you are ready to plate and serve!