tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon cream
Instructions
1. Make the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over 1 ⁄ 2 cup of the warm milk in a large measuring cup or medium bowl. Add the sugar and salt, and stir until dissolved. Set the yeast mixture aside in a warm spot until it bubbles. (This is called proofing the yeast, and if it doesn’t happen, your yeast is dead; start over, with fresh yeast.)
2. Measure the flour carefully and place in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, the remaining 1 ⁄ 2 cup milk, and the softened butter. Slowly mix the flour with the wet ingredients. Beat vigorously, to form a firm dough.
3. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, such as a gas oven (the pilot light provides heat) or on top of the refrigerator, until the dough has doubled, 1 hour or more, depending on conditions in your kitchen.
4. Punch the dough down (this is the fun part — make a fist, smack the dough hard in the middle) and set it to rise a second time, covered, until doubled once again, another hour or more.
5. Make the filling: Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
6. Remove and discard about half of the bacon grease from the skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the bacon into the onion.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two baking sheets with 1 tablespoon melted butter each.
8. Assemble the rolls: Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 ⁄ 4 inch. (You may have to work in batches; if so, cover the unused dough lightly with plastic wrap while it’s waiting its turn.) With a cookie cutter or a glass, cut the dough into circles about 4 inches in diameter.
9. Place 1 teaspoon of the bacon-onion mixture into the center of each circle and fold the edges inward, making a packet.
10. When all the rolls are baconed, put them, seam-side down, on the baking sheets and cover lightly with a clean towel. Set in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
11. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove baking sheets, paint with egg-cream wash, and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until golden brown.
Make ahead? Yes, but your guests will miss that intoxicating perfume of bacon frying. Rewarm for 5 to 10 minutes in 350°F oven.
For large crowds: Limited only by the size of your oven, or your patience, for multiple batches.
For vegetarians: Leave out the bacon and sauté the onion in oil.
Breads for Fall
Pumpkin Seed Flatbread
Recipe from Suzy and Philip Poll , Houston, Texas
Serves 12–24
Suzy and Philip say: Excellent served with Camembert cheese.
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for sprinkling
1 ⁄ 3 cup cornmeal
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Small amount of olive oil
1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
Egg wash: 1 large egg whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water
Additional kosher salt for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Combine the warm water and sugar in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the butter, flour, cornmeal, chili powder, and salt to the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Lightly coat a bowl with olive oil and place the dough ball in the bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until just beginning to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. When you
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon cream
Instructions
1. Make the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over 1 ⁄ 2 cup of the warm milk in a large measuring cup or medium bowl. Add the sugar and salt, and stir until dissolved. Set the yeast mixture aside in a warm spot until it bubbles. (This is called proofing the yeast, and if it doesn’t happen, your yeast is dead; start over, with fresh yeast.)
2. Measure the flour carefully and place in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, the remaining 1 ⁄ 2 cup milk, and the softened butter. Slowly mix the flour with the wet ingredients. Beat vigorously, to form a firm dough.
3. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, such as a gas oven (the pilot light provides heat) or on top of the refrigerator, until the dough has doubled, 1 hour or more, depending on conditions in your kitchen.
4. Punch the dough down (this is the fun part — make a fist, smack the dough hard in the middle) and set it to rise a second time, covered, until doubled once again, another hour or more.
5. Make the filling: Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
6. Remove and discard about half of the bacon grease from the skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the bacon into the onion.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two baking sheets with 1 tablespoon melted butter each.
8. Assemble the rolls: Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 ⁄ 4 inch. (You may have to work in batches; if so, cover the unused dough lightly with plastic wrap while it’s waiting its turn.) With a cookie cutter or a glass, cut the dough into circles about 4 inches in diameter.
9. Place 1 teaspoon of the bacon-onion mixture into the center of each circle and fold the edges inward, making a packet.
10. When all the rolls are baconed, put them, seam-side down, on the baking sheets and cover lightly with a clean towel. Set in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
11. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove baking sheets, paint with egg-cream wash, and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until golden brown.
Make ahead? Yes, but your guests will miss that intoxicating perfume of bacon frying. Rewarm for 5 to 10 minutes in 350°F oven.
For large crowds: Limited only by the size of your oven, or your patience, for multiple batches.
For vegetarians: Leave out the bacon and sauté the onion in oil.
Breads for Fall
Pumpkin Seed Flatbread
Recipe from Suzy and Philip Poll , Houston, Texas
Serves 12–24
Suzy and Philip say: Excellent served with Camembert cheese.
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for sprinkling
1 ⁄ 3 cup cornmeal
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Small amount of olive oil
1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
Egg wash: 1 large egg whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water
Additional kosher salt for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Combine the warm water and sugar in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the butter, flour, cornmeal, chili powder, and salt to the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Lightly coat a bowl with olive oil and place the dough ball in the bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until just beginning to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. When you
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