Semolina Rolls

Ingredients

• Makes about 2 kg (4.4 lbs) of dough
• 
  For the pre-dough (poolish):
• 400 g (3 ¼ cups) medium-strength flour
• 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) water
• 0.8 g (a pinch) active dry yeast (just the tip of a teaspoon is enough)
• 
  For the main dough:
• The prepared poolish
• 800 g (about 6 ½ cups) sifted durum wheat semolina (or another flour of your choice)
• 380 ml (1 ½ cups) water
• 10 g (2 tsp) malt
• 20 g (1 ½ tbsp) salt

Method

For the poolish (a creamy pre-dough that helps fermentation):

• In a bowl, mix the flour, water, and yeast with a spoon.
• Let it ferment for 6–7 hours at room temperature, until bubbles and a few streaks form on the surface.

For the main dough:

• Pour the poolish into the bowl of a stand mixer with half of the water (190–200 ml) and mix for a few minutes.
• Add all the sifted flour, malt, a bit more water, and knead for about 5 minutes.
• When the dough begins to firm up, add the salt with the remaining water and knead for another 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, cover well with a dish towel and plastic wrap, and let rest for 1 hour.
• If kneading by hand: form a well with the sifted flour on your work surface, pour the matured poolish and malt into the center, then gradually add the water (reserving some to mix in at the end with the salt).
• Knead for at least 20 minutes, then cover and let rest for 1 hour.
• After resting, perform “folds for strength”: fold the dough over itself several times, like closing a book, letting it rest briefly between each fold. This step strengthens the dough’s structure.
• After folding, let rest for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 10–12 hours in a lightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap.
• After this time, remove from the fridge, turn the dough onto a floured surface, and let it come to room temperature for 2 hours, covered.
• Divide into portions according to the desired size and shape, and round each piece (“pirlare”) by rolling it gently on the work surface. It’s important to weigh each roll so they bake and rise evenly.
• Place the pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, cover with a towel and plastic wrap, and let rest for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
• Spray the rolls with water, dust with semolina, and make small cuts on top with a sharp knife—be careful not to deflate them.
• Once the oven is ready, spray again, place the tray inside, and put a small pan with a bit of water on the oven floor to create steam.
• After 5 minutes, lower the temperature to 200°C (390°F) and bake for about 15 more minutes.
• Remove the pan of water, lower the temperature again to 190°C (375°F), and continue baking for about 20 minutes more, depending on your oven.
• Open the oven briefly every so often to release steam.
• Once baked, place the rolls on a cooling rack to allow excess moisture to evaporate.

Storage:

You can freeze the rolls in food-safe bags. When ready to serve, reheat them in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 7 minutes: they’ll turn crispy again, just like freshly baked.