No-Knead Italian-Style Dinner Rolls

These easy no-knead Italian-style dinner rolls have a crisp golden crust and a tender, chewy interior. Made with simple pantry ingredients and no kneading required, they're perfect for serving alongside pasta, soups, salads and other Italian-inspired meals.

Prep Time15

Cook Time36

Rising time2 30

Total Time3 21

Course: Bread, dinner rolls

Cuisine: Italian, Italian-Inspired

Keyword: crusty dinner rolls, easy dinner rolls, Italian dinner rolls, no-knead dinner rolls

Servings: rolls

Calories: 125kcal

Author: Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

3¼ cups all-purpose flour I like King Arthur unbleached flour
½ cup polenta or medium-coarse cornmeal I like Bob's Red Mill polenta
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt I use Morton's
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1½ cups warm water 105-115˚F - maybe a bit more
1 tablespoon olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep:

Line two 12x18-inch sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the dough:

Combine the flour, polenta, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir well to combine.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add 1½ cups of the warm water. Stir until thoroughly combined, making sure there is no dry flour remaining at the bottom of the bowl. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. The dough should be thick and shaggy, but you want enough water to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
Drizzle the olive oil over the dough and stir until most of it is incorporated, leaving a light coating on the surface.

Rising and stretch and folds:

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
Perform 8 stretch-and-folds (wet your hand, then lift the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the dough in the bowl, repeating in a circular motion around the bowl, turning the bowl about 45 degrees with each fold - see the video in the post). Flip the dough over and cover again. Repeat the 30-minute rise followed by another set of 8 stretch-and-folds.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until doubled in size. (This is dependent on the temperature of your kitchen.)

Divide and shape the rolls:

Turn the dough onto a generously floured work surface. Using a dough scraper or spatula, gently turn the dough several times so it's completely coated with flour.
Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Turn each portion in flour to lightly coat all sides.
Shape each portion into a smooth round ball. I like to roll the dough piece in flour first, then hold it in the palm of my right hand (I'm right-handed) while using the fingers of my left hand to tuck the dough underneath and toward the center. Once it's roughly shaped, I set it on the floured counter and gently cup my hands around it, rotating it a few times to create a nice smooth ball.
Arrange 8 rolls on each prepared sheet pan.
Cover the pans with clean kitchen towels and allow the rolls to rise for 30-45 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
When the rolls are shaped and just starting the final rise, place an 8 or 9-inch baking pan filled with hot water on the lowest oven rack. Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
Lightly dust the tops of the rolls with flour. Use a baker's lame, razor blade or sharp knife to make a slash down the center of each roll about ¼ inch deep.

Bake:

Bake the first pan for 14-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Begin checking at 14 minutes, then every minute or two until done.
Repeat with the second pan, making sure the pan still contains water.
Transfer the rolls to a wire rack and cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Don't be afraid to use plenty of flour when dividing and shaping the rolls. The dough is quite sticky, and the extra flour makes it much easier to handle while helping create that rustic artisan appearance.

If using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, dissolve it in the warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy, before adding it to the dry ingredients.

If using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, substitute 2½ teaspoons for the 2 teaspoons Morton Kosher Salt.

Medium-coarse cornmeal can be substituted for the polenta.

These rolls freeze beautifully. Cool completely before freezing. Thaw and warm in a 300˚F oven for 5-8 minutes before serving.

For the herb butter, combine 4 ounces of soft butter with 2 teaspoons of finely chopped herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano). Stir to combine; transfer to a small bowl or serving container. Garnish with extra herb leaves or sprigs.

For the beautiful butter, combine 4 ounces (1 stick) of soft butter with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1-2 teaspoons of small organic edible flower petals (pansies, lavender, lilacs, marigolds, yarrow, roses, carnations). Stir to combine; transfer to a small bowl or serving container. Garnish with more petals.

Nutrition