HOUSEWARMING ROLLS
1 batch of any roll dough
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
1 Tbs. dried parsley (for merriment and hospitality)
1 tsp. dried marjoram (for joy)
½ tsp. dried rubbed sage (for health and long life)
½ tsp. dried powdered rosemary (for good memories)
Prepare dough through first rise. Punch down and knead briefly to work out the larger air bubbles. Combine melted butter and herbs in a small bowl. Divide dough into 12 to 16 walnut-sized balls. Dip each ball of dough into butter mixture and arrange in a single layer in an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Pour remaining butter mixture over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled. Remove plastic and place in a pre-heated 350° F oven. If desired, just before placing the pan in the oven, you may brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned on top and rolls begin to pull slightly away from the sides of the dish. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before removing from dish, then place on wire rack to cool.
Notes ---Nothing says, “Welcome to the neighborhood” like a loaf of freshly baked bread or a pan of homemade rolls. These rolls are flavored with herbs which symbolize some of the qualities of a happy home, so bake them for a new neighbor or for an old friend settling into a new house.
---I’m not sure how the other herbs obtained their meanings, but parsley was served between courses at Roman feasts---chewing the leaves helped “cleanse the palate” for the next dish, and helped to sweeten the breath. So it came to be associated with hospitality and partying.
---For the sake of convenience, I have used dried herbs for this recipe. If you use fresh herbs, use double the amount of parsley and marjoram, but only ¾ of a teaspoon each of fresh minced sage and rosemary. These stronger herbs can be overwhelming when fresh. I use the “Bergarten” sage and “Huntington Carpet” rosemary varieties, but the more ordinary “officionalis” forms may be used with the same flavorful results
---If you think the rolls are browning too quickly, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil, but remove it for the last 5 or 10 minutes of baking. The sesame seeds really do add to the appearance, so if you have them on hand, by all means use them.
1 batch of any roll dough
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
1 Tbs. dried parsley (for merriment and hospitality)
1 tsp. dried marjoram (for joy)
½ tsp. dried rubbed sage (for health and long life)
½ tsp. dried powdered rosemary (for good memories)
Prepare dough through first rise. Punch down and knead briefly to work out the larger air bubbles. Combine melted butter and herbs in a small bowl. Divide dough into 12 to 16 walnut-sized balls. Dip each ball of dough into butter mixture and arrange in a single layer in an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Pour remaining butter mixture over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled. Remove plastic and place in a pre-heated 350° F oven. If desired, just before placing the pan in the oven, you may brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned on top and rolls begin to pull slightly away from the sides of the dish. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before removing from dish, then place on wire rack to cool.
Notes ---Nothing says, “Welcome to the neighborhood” like a loaf of freshly baked bread or a pan of homemade rolls. These rolls are flavored with herbs which symbolize some of the qualities of a happy home, so bake them for a new neighbor or for an old friend settling into a new house.
---I’m not sure how the other herbs obtained their meanings, but parsley was served between courses at Roman feasts---chewing the leaves helped “cleanse the palate” for the next dish, and helped to sweeten the breath. So it came to be associated with hospitality and partying.
---For the sake of convenience, I have used dried herbs for this recipe. If you use fresh herbs, use double the amount of parsley and marjoram, but only ¾ of a teaspoon each of fresh minced sage and rosemary. These stronger herbs can be overwhelming when fresh. I use the “Bergarten” sage and “Huntington Carpet” rosemary varieties, but the more ordinary “officionalis” forms may be used with the same flavorful results
---If you think the rolls are browning too quickly, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil, but remove it for the last 5 or 10 minutes of baking. The sesame seeds really do add to the appearance, so if you have them on hand, by all means use them.