Ingredients:
- 500g bread flour
- 325ml warm water (105°F–115°F)
- 7g active dry yeast
- 15g honey
- 30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 10g fine sea salt
- 115g unsalted butter
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 30g grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Mix 325ml warm water, 15g honey, and 7g active dry yeast in a bowl. Wait 5-10 minutes until the mixture is frothy and smells like a brewery. This ensures your yeast is alive and kicking.
- Add 500g bread flour, 30ml olive oil, and 10g fine sea salt to the yeast mixture. Knead for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and bounces back when poked.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let it sit for 1 hours until it has doubled in size. Note: Cold kitchens may require more time.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 18 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6 inch rope and tie into a simple overhand knot, tucking the ends underneath.
- Arrange knots on a baking sheet and cover lightly. Let them rest for 30 minutes until they look puffy and soft.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the knots for 12-15 minutes until the tops are just starting to turn a pale golden brown.
- While baking, melt 115g butter and sauté 6 cloves of minced garlic for 1 minute until the kitchen smells like a dream but the garlic is still pale. Stir in 3 tbsp parsley and 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes.
- Remove knots from the oven and immediately toss them in a large bowl with the garlic butter. Shower them with 30g Parmesan cheese while they are still steaming so the cheese adheres to the buttery surface.