Ali Cooks: Parmesan Pesto Rolls

Yesterday, I needed lunch before work.  Yesterday I also woke up at 7:30am.  Typically not a problem--except that I had gone to bed at 2:30am the night (morning?) before.  I was TIRED, and using yeast in an adventurous recipe could have ended in disaster.  But...it didn't!  Miraculously, I not only successfully made the below Parmesan Pesto Rolls, but I managed to eat them before the bus came to pick me up at 12:10pm!  I was a pretty happy camper, and Brian even put the cooled rolls away when he came home for lunch.  (Thanks Brian!)

Honestly, these rolls weren't that hard, just lots of dishes and quite a few steps to keep track of.  I increased the range of wait time/rise time for the dough because I was in a rush, and with the reduced time, they still turned out great!  (Why wait longer if you don't NEED to wait longer?!)

Also--I cheated.  I didn't make my own pesto.  HOWEVER, I no longer own a food processor (one of the few casualties in the January crash...), so I made do with a ready-made, jarred pesto.  I didn't care too much--it had garlic in it, and this girl is excited to start incorporating garlic and onion into her diet now that this bacterial infection in my stomach is almost gone!  Woooot!

Parmesan Pesto Rolls

*adapted from FoodFanatic.com

Ingredients:

 3 cups flour

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

2 eggs, divided

3 Tbs unsalted butter

1 cup warm milk (approximately 130-150 degrees)

1/2 cup pesto

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions:

 Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Add one egg and the butter, using a hand mixer/stand mixer to combine while slowly adding the warm milk.  Once incorporated, scrape the dough off of the beaters and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover securely with plastic wrap for 1-2 hours.  Once risen, place the dough on a lightly oiled work surface/counter and roll it into a 12x18-inch rectangle.

Spread pesto on the dough rectangle, keeping a one-inch perimeter around the edges.  Sprinkle the sun-dried tomatoes over the pesto, followed by 1/4 cup of parmesan.  Start from one of the long ends and roll the dough tightly into a log.  Pinch the seam together to seal.  Next, cut the log into 12 even pieces and place on a greased baking sheet.  Cover the baking sheet with a towel or plastic wrap to allow further puffing of the rolls for approximately 30-60 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees at this time.

Whisk the other egg with one teaspoon of water.  Brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan. 

 Bake the parmesan pesto rolls in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Good to the last bite!