S'sK Fluffy Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese Bread Knots

*A Sebastian’s Kitchen Original Recipe

S'sK Fluffy Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese Bread Knots

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons spice world – chopped garlic – or fresh garlic
Shredded mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top of bread knots

Bonus items:
Parchment paper

1.    Add cold water into microwave safe bowl. (I use a glass microwave safe Pyrex measuring cup). Microwave water for about 1 minute until warm. Add water to a large bowl. (Water should be warmer than lukewarm, but not hot enough to slightly burn you.)

2.    Add yeast and sugar to water and stir with a fork to dissolve.

3.    Cover yeast bowl with plastic wrap and let yeast bowl sit in a nested bowl or Tupperware container with hot water.
    a.    To make a nested bowl with hot water:
          i.      I use a large Tupperware container and fill it about half way up with hot water.
          ii.      Nest the yeast bowl in the Tupperware container.
          iii.      Water should be hot, but not hot enough to burn you.
          iv.      (Remove yeast bowl from nested bath when kneading)

  b.    Let yeast sit in nested bath for 10 minutes. You will notice that your yeast water has become very thick, bubbly, and frothy. This is perfect. Remove bowl from nested bath and remove plastic wrap top.

  c.    If your bowl is not frothy, try again. There are many factors that could affect this. Most likely your yeast died or was not fresh to begin with.

4.    Add salt into bowl. Whisk with fork until well mixed.

5.    Add bread flour slowly. Mix with fork until difficult to mix. Knead dough with hands for a couple minutes until dough has absorbed all flour.
   a.    The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch, not dried out, or too wet.

6.    Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
7.    Let sit on counter in a nested bowl with hot water (just like before) for 1 hour.

8.    Check on water in nested bowl after 1 hour. It will probably be cold.
9.    Remove dough bowl from nested bowl.
10.    Knead dough for 2 minutes and cover bowl with plastic wrap.
11.    Refill water bowl with hot water and nest bowls again.
12.    Let rise for 1 more hour.
13.    Remove dough bowl from nested bowl.
14.    Empty water bowl.
15.    Remove plastic wrap from bowl.
16.    Start separating dough into 12-14 small balls.
17.    Line 1 baking sheet with parchment paper.
18.    Start preheating oven to 350 degrees F.
19.    Grab a cutting board and spread corn meal on it.

20.    Put dough balls on cutting board.

21.    Roll dough into long ropes.
22.   Tie each rope into a knot.

23.    Roll bottom of knot in corn meal.
24.    Place corn meal’d knotted dough on parchment paper.
25.    Once oven is preheated, set baking sheets in the oven.
26.    Round 1 of baking - bake knots for 10 minutes.
27.    At the 8 minute mark, start making the garlic and butter sauce.

    a.    In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter until just barely melted, (do not let it bubble/boil in the microwave).
    b.    Measure out your garlic and add it to your butter bowl and stir well.

28.    Once the first round of baking the bread knots are up, remove the bread from the oven and brush top of bread with garlic butter.  

    a.    I use a silicon cooking brush to spread the butter garlic mixture on. It works really well.

29.    Top with a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.

30.    Continue baking for 10 – 20 minutes or until done baking. (Oven times will vary depending on your oven and on how thick you made your knots).
    a.    Bread will be done when it is firm and slightly golden.

31.    Remove bread from oven and turn off oven when bread is done baking.
32.    Store leftover bread in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.