cheesy garlic knots

I’ve had to make a lot of grownup decisions lately.

Like, deciding that I can’t eat cookies and cake and chocolate peanut butter swirl bread three times a day, every day. Well, I could, but I probably wouldn’t like it after a while.

Or deciding to watch my husband’s intramural basketball game in a gym that smelled like 100 smelly, sweaty guys (because there were about 100 smelly, sweaty guys there) watching a sport I know nothing about, when I could have been watching “The Bachelor” at home. But it was important to him to have me there, and therefore, the decision was easy to make.

I also decided to spare you the 12-minute-long video I originally made for this post. You see, I got a little overzealous — as I often do — when it came to filming my first video for this here blog. What was intended to be a classy, snappy, 5-minute-long video on how to make cheesy garlic knots became a long, drawn-out, terribly choppy episode from Food Network. Only without the fancy lighting and some lackey to clean up my dishes.

Still, I think it important to share some face time with you (and to post at least a teensy bit of my efforts!), so here’s a little snippet on how to shape these yummy garlic knots:

So, hello there. That’s me. Making knots. Wearing an apron. Trying not to laugh as my husband makes funny faces behind the camera, or remember the first take, when I said “taber salt” instead of table salt. Good times. And more of them to come (I hope!).

Now go make these rolls, will you? I have no other terms with which to describe them — they’re freaking amazing.

P.S. Yes, it’s true — Girl Versus Dough is on Facebook. DUN DUN DUN. Check it.

Cheesy Garlic Knots
Courtesy of an adapted recipe by John Fraser, What Happens When, NYC (via Tasting Table)

Yields: 20 knots

Ingredients:
3 cups bread or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (or, as described above, “taber salt” is fine, too)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sea salt (or table salt)
1 1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/4 tsp caraway seeds
2 1/2 cups grated Emmentaler cheese
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, crushed

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine bread flour, semolina flour, sea salt, sugar and yeast until combined. In a small, separate bowl, combine water and olive oil. Slowly pour water mixture into flour mixture while the mixer is on low speed. Blend until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 2 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sea salt, pepper and caraway seeds.
Once dough is risen, punch down and divide into 20 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and let rest 10 minutes. Roll out each ball into a 3-inch log. Top each log with sea salt mixture and a sprinkling of Emmentaler cheese (you will have some of each left over). Roll out each log into a 6-inch log, tie in a loose knot and place on a lined baking sheet, each knot spaced 1 inch apart. Sprinkle a little more cheese on the top of each knot.
Cover the baking sheets with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise about 1 hour, or until the knots are 1 1/2 times their original size.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap from baking sheets and bake knots for about 20 minutes, or until they’re a light golden brown, rotating halfway through. Meanwhile, melt butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat but keep warm.
When the knots are fully baked, remove from oven and lightly brush the tops with the garlic butter. Serve warm or at room temperature.