Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 ¾ cups water (~110 degrees)

+ a pan of water

Directions:

Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the water and mix until all the flour is incorporated. Make sure there is no dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. It will be a dry dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, wet a spatula and complete one set of four stretch-and-folds.

Cover the bowl again and rest for another 20 minutes.

Complete another set of stretch-and-folds.

Cover the bowl again and rest for another 20 minutes

Complete the last set of stretch-and-folds.

Cover the dough again and let it rise until doubled, about 30 minutes in a warm spot.

Flour a work surface and drop the dough onto the surface. Use a dough scraper to turn it a few times until lightly coated in flour. Divide the dinner rolls with the dough scraper. 

Shape the rolls into balls - stretch the edges and pinch at the bottom to create a seam. Roll the dough on the floured surface, if needed to create the round shape. 

Place the rolls onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes (rolls should double in size).

While the rolls are rising, plan a pan filled with water on the lowest oven rack and preheat the oven to 450°F. (Let the oven preheat for at least 15 minutes to get the steam going.). 

After the rolls have doubled, create a slash through each roll, about ¼-½ inch deep.

Bake the first pan for 14-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown. 

Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool.