Cooking with Manuela: Easy Made-from-Scratch Garlic Rolls

Say hello to my soft and fragrant buns :)

You know I love (and I mean LOOOVE) bread. It's one of those things I can't possibly stay without... yes, just like chocolate!
I love the soothing pleasure of mixing the dough and watch it rise. I love the comforting taste of this freshly crafted goodness, especially when it's still oven-warm. And I love showing you how to create the perfect garlic rolls in your own kitchen, without too much effort, and with few simple steps.
And if you are wondering, it is as good as it looks :)

There's nothing like the inviting aroma of freshly baked garlic bread to get your mouth watering and stimulate your appetite.
You should try and bake these next time you have guests over for dinner. The spicy scent of garlic mixed with the Mediterranean aroma of oregano and olive oil is the perfect welcome to your dinner table.
And wait until they get a bite of one of these. They will surely be begging for another dinner invitation!
Trust me on this one.

I can't wait for you to try this recipe and tell me how easy this was (...apparently as much as I can't wait to take a taste-testing bite before I'm done with pictures).
No mixing, nor kneading or rolling necessary. All you need for is a food processor, fancy or not so fancy, that will do all the work for you. Just follow the order in which I add the ingredients (it matters!) and let the processor do its magic.
Next, what you need is patience! Let the dough rise for at least one hour in a warm and draft-free place (like your oven... turned off of course!). Cut the dough in rolls and let them sit for one more hour to rise some more.
The baking is done in two stages. First brush the bread with melted butter and bake until mostly done.
Second, brush with a mixture of tasty extra virgin olive oil, oregano, and minced garlic and bake just for a few more minutes. You don't want the garlic on top to brown too much, or it doesn't taste really good.
Ready to try this out?!? Just like the garlic rolls from your favorite Italian restaurant!

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 16 rolls PRINTABLE RECIPE

- 1 ½ cups ( 225 gr) of bread flour
- 1 cup (150 gr) of all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (.25 oz, 7 gr) of active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) of water
- 1½ teaspoons of salt
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves (or more), minced
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried oregano leaves

PREPARATION:

TIME: preparation: 15 minutes, inactive: 2 hours, baking: 20 minutes
In the bowl of a food processor, add the bread flour, the all-purpose flour, the yeast and sugar.
Pulse a few times to combine.

Warm up the water, and while your food processor is on (I have a "dough" mode on mine) add about 3/4 cup of the water. Process for about one minute.
Add the salt to the remaining 1/4 cup of water. Mix well with a spoon until the salt is dissolved.
Add the rest of the water some at a time, or until the dough comes together in a ball.
If the dough doesn't come together in a ball, add one teaspoon of water (or more if necessary).
Process for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel on top.

Let it sit in a non drafty area for at least one hour. I place mine inside the oven (NOT turned on, of course).
Move the dough to a lightly floured counter, and cut into 16 (mostly equal) pieces.

Roll each into a ball

and place in an oven pan (I used a 10.5 inch,26.5 cm quiche pan) lined with parchment paper.
Leave some space around each roll.
Let the dough rise again for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Melt the butter in a small skillet (or microwave). Brush the rolls with the melted butter.
Bake the rolls for about 12 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic and oregano.
Brush the rolls with the mixture, and bake for an additional 5 minutes or so, until golden brown.