Golden Knots Food

CRANBERRY-BRIE KNOTS

Steps:

• Brush the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place the pizza dough on top. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature until just about doubled in size, 1 hour.
• Cut off the rind from the sides of the Brie wheel, then cut the Brie into 18 equal-sized cubes. Set aside.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Using floured hands, shape the dough into an 18-by-4-inch-rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into eighteen 1-inch-wide strips.
• Shape each strip into a 10-inch-long rope and tie into a knot, tucking the two ends of the rope underneath it. Divide the knots between two baking sheets and let rest until slightly puffed, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• Cut a small slit in the top of each knot with a sharp paring knife and use your fingers to create a small well. Spoon a heaping 1/4 teaspoon cranberry sauce into each well and top with 1 piece of Brie. Reserve the remaining cranberry sauce for serving.
• Brush the tops of the knots with 4 tablespoons of the butter. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake until the cheese is melted, and the dough is fully cooked and turning light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, stir together the remaining cranberry sauce and 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Serve with the knots for dipping.

EASY GARLIC KNOTS

Steps:

• Sprinkle flour lightly over your work surface. Roll the pizza dough into a disc and sprinkle both sides lightly with flour. Cut the dough into 10 equal pieces.
• Roll one piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Tie a knot in the center of the log (by creating a loop in the center of the log and threading one end of the log through the loop to form a tight knot). Place the knot into an 8-inch cast-iron skillet. Repeat this process with the remaining 9 pieces of dough. Spread a clean towel over the skillet and place in a warm area to proof for 1 to 2 hours. After proofing, the knots should look slightly puffed.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder and fresh garlic. Generously brush each knot with the butter mixture, being careful to leave the fresh garlic at the bottom of the bowl.
• Bake the knots for 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and pour the remaining garlic butter over the partially baked knots. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the knots are golden brown and the garlic is caramelized, 15 minutes more.
• Sprinkle the knots with the Parmesan cheese, parsley and sea salt. Serve immediately.

NOT-KNOTS

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Pinch off balls of the dough about 1 inch in diameter and roll into round balls, then place the balls on the oiled baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, combine the garlic butter and Parmesan in a pan and stir together over medium-low heat until melted. Pour into a metal bowl large enough to toss the balls in.
• Heat a deep pan of vegetable oil to 350 degrees F and fry the balls, stirring them so they cook evenly, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the balls from the pan, then put them in the bowl with the Parmesan garlic butter and toss to coat them thoroughly. Serve on top of a salad or as a side dish.
• Sprinkle the yeast over 1 1/2 cups of warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed and drizzle in the oil until combined with the flour. Next, pour in the yeast mixture and mix until just combined and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
• Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat the dough in the oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for at least 1 or up to 2 hours at room temperature, or store in the fridge until you need it, up to 4 days ahead. Bring the refrigerated dough to room temperature before using.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, then add the garlic and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes to release the flavor, but don't let the garlic brown.

WHOLE-GRAIN GARLIC KNOTS

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Generously sprinkle flour on a work surface. Roll the pizza dough out into a 12-inch square, using more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut the dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into 4 strips.
• Carefully tie each strip into a knot and arrange on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes.
• Bake the knots until golden brown on the bottom and lightly golden on the top, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets as needed.
• Meanwhile, put the butter, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and beginning to bubble, cook the garlic, swirling the pan, until it is soft and fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
• Brush the garlic butter on the warm knots and sprinkle each with Parmesan. Eat warm or at room temperature. Garlic knots can be baked, cooled and frozen for up to 1 month.
• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Add the bulgur and quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the grains to a fine-mesh strainer and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking. Let the grains drain in the strainer for 15 minutes, then spread them out on a thick layer of paper towels to absorb any extra moisture. Meanwhile, coarsely grind the flaxseeds in a spice grinder, just to break them open.
• Stir together the warm water, agave and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit until a small layer of foam develops at the top, 3 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen, discard and try again with new yeast.)
• Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl; add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil and mix together with a stiff rubber spatula. When the dough starts to come together, mix in the cooked grains, ground flaxseeds and sunflower seeds; form the dough into a uniform ball in the center of the bowl. Be sure to scrape and use any dough stuck to the sides. The dough will be very sticky at this stage. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on a clean, dry work surface. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, working in just enough flour to make the dough less sticky but still moist to the touch. Flour your hands periodically to prevent sticking. Form the dough into one single ball or divide it into smaller balls. Place the dough ball(s) on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, the dough can be shaped and cooked as desired.

GOLDEN KNOTS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar in 1/2 cup water.
• In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter and remaining water to 110-115; add to yeast mixture.
• Add eggs, salt, 5 cups flour and the remaining sugar; beat until smooth.
• Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
• Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down.
• Divide into thirds; roll each portion into a 14- inch roll.
• Divide each roll into 14 pieces. Roll pieces into 9-in.ropes and tie into knots.
• Place the rolls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
• Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350 for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

GARLIC KNOTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Use your hands to roll each piece into a 6-inch-long tube, then tie each into a knot. Arrange the knots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown all over, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is pale golden, about 3 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley.
• Brush the garlic knots generously with the garlic butter and sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan. Transfer the remaining butter to a small bowl.

GOLDEN KNOTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the butter and remaining 1 cup sugar; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the milk mixture, eggs, salt and 3 cups of flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and divide into thirds; divide each portion in a 14 inch roll; divide each roll into 14 pieces. Roll the pieces into 9 inch ropes and tie into knots. Place the rolls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven) for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.