Description
This 4-ingredient dough takes five minutes to mix together, and from there, time does the work. After an overnight rise, the dough is ready to be portioned, balled up, and after another short rest, the rolls are ready to be baked. Crusty with a light and airy crumb, these rolls are perfect for sandwiches!
Notes:
- This dough is super wet, so go big on the flour when shaping—seriously, don’t hold back.
- I have been making these for these balsamic-roasted eggplant and arugula sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (512 g) unbleached bread or all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup (32 g) for shaping
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) instant yeast
- 2 cups (439 g) cold water (tap is fine)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Cover the bowl, and let rest for 30 minutes, then stretch and fold the dough — this is an optional new step (1/14/2026), but if time permits, do it: I find it makes for an especially bubby dough. Fill a small bowl with water. Using a wet hand, grab an edge of the dough and pull it up and towards the center. Repeat this stretching and folding process 8 to 10 times, moving your hand around the edge of the dough with every set of stretches and folds. As you stretch and fold, you should feel the dough transform from being sticky and shaggy to smooth and cohesive. Find video guidance here.
- Let it rise: Cover bowl with a tea towel or bowl cover and leave to rise at room temperature overnight or for up to 12 hours.
- Prepare for baking: The following morning (or after about 12 hours), the dough will have risen, and its surface will be covered with bubbles. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Shape the rolls: Spread the 1/4 cup flour over a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface. Using as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the board and your knife or dough scraper, divide the dough into 6 roughly equal portions. Again, using as much flour as necessary on your hands and work surface, shape each portion into a ball. Use two hands to stretch each ball gently into a rectangle—doesn’t have to be perfect—and transfer to the prepared sheetpan, spacing evenly. Let the shaped rolls rest for 20 minutes. (Alternatively, store the shaped rolls in a floured, lidded vessel for as long as 2-3 hours; then proceed with the recipe.)
- Bake the rolls: Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 15 minutes. Rotate pan. Bake 5 minutes more or until nicely golden. Transfer rolls to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Yeast
- Cuisine: American