Olive Oil Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

100 grams ripe sourdough starter

350 grams all-purpose flour

240 grams (236 milliliters, 1 cup) full or low-fat milk

1 large egg (50 grams)

7 grams kosher salt

15 grams (a scant tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil

Additional olive oil and flaky salt for topping, optional

Preparation

Using a dough whisk or a sturdy spoon, stir together all the ingredients for the dough except the olive oil and sea salt for topping. Continue to mix until the dough is shaggy but well-mixed, and no dry spots remain. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold: take one side of the dough and stretch it up, then fold towards the center of the bowl. Repeat 3 more times around the dough in a North-South-East-West pattern. Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

Repeat step 2 twice more, for a total rest of 2 hours with 3 sets of folds every 30 minutes. Once the folds are complete, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for an additional 2-3 hours, until the dough has visibly risen and feels light and bubbly. It may not completely double in size.

At this point, you can either refrigerate the dough, well-covered, until the next day, or you can proceed straight to step 6. The optional refrigeration will add considerable flavor development.

If refrigerating, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 hours before you want to serve the rolls and allow it to warm up for about 30 minutes before proceeding.

Lightly oil and line an 8x8 inch square pan with a piece of Kana Easy Lift Parchment Paper.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured or dampened surface (either will help to prevent sticking) and divide into 9 pieces. Tuck each piece of dough into a rough ball, then use a claw-shaped hand to roll the dough around the surface until each piece of dough forms a taught ball.

Place the balls of dough in a 3x3 pattern in the pan, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise at room temperature for 1-1 ½ hours, until noticeably puffy.

While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.

When the rolls have risen, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches at least 190°F.

Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, you can brush with a bit of additional olive oil after baking for a softer crust. Best eaten warm on the same day they are made.