Grandpa Joe's
Italian Hard Rolls

The key ingredient in a delicious Italian Meatball sandwich (among many other culinary treats).

About this recipe

Hard Rolls were a staple in my childhood home.  We were fortunate to have access to the wonderful breads from a local Italian bakery.  Not being so fortunate in western Michigan, I have worked for several months to perfect baking my own.  As with my other bread offerings on this site, I am indebted to Peter Reinhart, author of "The Bread Baker's Apprentice".  Without his guidance (on pages172-174), this recipe wouldn't be possible.

Ingredients - Day 1:  Biga

  • 11¼ ounces King Arthur unbleached bread flour
  • ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast
  • 7 ounces water, at room temperature

Directions - Day 1:  Biga

  1. Combine all ingredients and then knead for 5 minutes (by hand, or using the dough blade in a food processor running at low speed).
  2. Remove the dough to a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover, at let stand at room temperature for 3 hours.
  3. Using your fingers, punch the dough down, cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 15 hours.

Ingredients - Day 2:  Rolls

  • biga from Day 1
  • 11.25 ounces King Arthur unbleached bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon diastatic malt powder
  • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
  • 1¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 8½ ounces water, at room temperature

Directions - Day 2:  Rolls

  1. Transfer the biga to the bowl of a standing mixer with the dough hook attached.  Add the water and olive oil.
  2. In a separate bowl, weigh the flour and then add the sugar, yeast, and malt powder.  Add the salt to the mixing bowl.
  3. With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl in half-cup increments, allowing time for the added flour to become hydrated.  Repeat until all the flour has been added.
  4. Increase the mixing speed slightly and knead for 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl at least double the size of the dough mass.  Cover with plastic wrap, place the bowl in a draft-free area, and allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size, about two hours.
  6. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 9 equal pieces, about 4 ounces each.  Form each piece into a roll and place it on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.  (See Notes.)
  7. Mist the rolls with spray oil, cover, and let proof until they are double their original size, about 60 minutes.
  8. Preheat the oven to 525° F.  Place a rack near the center for the rolls, and a second rack below the first to hold a steam pan.
  9. Place one sheet of the rolls in the oven and then carefully add a half-cup of hot water to the steam pan.  Lower the temperature to 475° F.  Bake for exactly 8 minutes, then remove the steam pan and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the rolls reach 200° F.
  10. Remove the rolls to a cooling rack, and let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  11. Now, with the oven at 475° F, return the steam pan to the lower rack and place the second sheet of rolls on the middle rack.  Carefully add another half-cup of hot water to the steam pan.  Bake for exactaly 8 minutes, then remove the steam pan, lower the temperature to 400° F, and bake for another 15 minutes.
  12. Once again, remove the rolls to a cooling rack, and let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.
The biga after mixing.
The biga 12 hours later.
Freshly baked Italian Hard Rolls.

Notes

  • The biga also can be left at room temperature overnight.
  • I generally use two sheet pans; four on one, five rolls on the other.  Then, using the method described to bake the rolls it is not necessary to reheat the oven.  Both sheets of rolls will be baked exactly the same!
Posted: January 2017.