The Fresh Loaf

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Norm's Semi-flat Onion Rolls

Anonymous baker's picture
Anonymous baker (not verified)

Norm's Semi-flat Onion Rolls

I really like Norm's method of using re-hydrating dried onions. They tasted fabulous on the rolls. The dough was very stiff and tight when I removed it from the mixer for bulk fermentation, but when I went to shape it was amazingly light and easy to work with. I don't know why I expected the finished product to be bagel-like. These rolls are light, tender things with a mild onion and poppy seed flavor, and nothing like bagels! I couldn't help myself and gobbled one down before they were even cool. Thanks, Norm, for sharing this terrific recipe with us at TFL.

I think these rolls would also make great hamburger buns too either with or without the onions.

The original thread is here: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/normsonionrolls

Ready to proof

Out of the oven

Being eaten



My interpretation of Norm's formula and method:

The onion mixture

Rehydrate 1/3 cup dried, minced onions in about 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. When the onions have absorbed all the water that they can, drain them (I pressed them with a spoon when they were in the strainer to make sure I got most of the water out), and add a little salt (I added 1/2 teaspoon kosher), 1 tablespoon of canola oil (I forgot to add the oil so I just dapped a little on the top of each roll before baking them), and 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds to the mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use. Norms says that you have to used dried onions to get the authentic taste of these rolls.

The roll dough

21 g sugar
7 g malt syrup (I used 14 g by accident because I was pouring from the bottle and it got away from me)
7 g salt
21 g egg, beaten
21 g vegetable oil
454 g bread flour
227 g water
7 g instant yeast

Place all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and mix with the paddle until everything is incorporated, about 1 minute. Let dough rest 5 minutes to hydrate. Change paddle to dough hook and knead on speed 2 for 10 minutes until dough is quite smooth. Norm cautions that this is a very stiff dough and that you should keep an eye on your mixer so that you don't overheat it. I think this dough might knead very well in a food processor; of course it would probably only require a couple of minutes of kneading.

Place dough in a bowl, cover and let rise until double, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Gently deflate dough and cut into 2 to 4 ounce pieces (I used 3 ounce pieces for my rolls), form pieces into balls, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, dump the onion mixture onto a lipped cookie sheet and spread it out.

When the 10 minutes are up, pick up the relaxed dough balls, turn them over onto the onion mixture, and press them flat with the palm of your hand. You want to balls to be flattened to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Place the rolls onion side up on a baking sheet, and preheat your oven to 450º.

Cover the onion rolls lightly with plastic wrap and let fully proof, about 1 hour. Just before they are ready to go into the oven, press down in the center of each roll with your thumb to make an indentation.

Bake for about 20 minutes on the middle oven rack until nicely brown and crisp, spritzing them with water once a minute during the first 5 minutes of baking and rotating the pan 180º after the first 10 minutes. Watch them closely near the end of the 20 minutes because they can burn fast--I caught mine just in time. (Next time I make these I might try 425º for 25 minutes.)

Makes 9 three-ounce rolls

Comments

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Looks like you got the bug..beautifully done, Pamela!  Try saving your soak water from your dried onions and adding to your dough for even a little more flavor lift.  I started dehydrating my own onions..the organic ones are a little expensive and I never seem to get enough put on top of the rolls.

 

Sylvia

xaipete's picture
xaipete (not verified)

Thanks, Sylvia. I'm going to try dehydrating my own onions. What a great idea. I use a tabletop convection all the time to dehydrate chicken breasts for the dogs; it would be great to use it for something associated with baking too.

--Pamela

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Dehydrated, Chicken breasts for the dogs..sounds great...how do you do them in your convection tabletop.. your temperature setting and cut thickness..please?

Sylvia

xaipete's picture
xaipete (not verified)

I put the reply in the wrong spot. Look above.

--Pamela

xaipete's picture
xaipete (not verified)

I buy Foster Farms frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts at Costco and defrost about 6 of them at a time. When they are still a little frozen, I slice them real thin and lay them on cooling racks. I can cook 3 racks at a time in the oven. It takes 12 hours at the lowest setting (120º). I keep the oven outside, put them in about 7PM and take them out the next morning at 7AM. We go through a lot of them with two dogs, but our dogs are real trim and we think it is because we don't fed them any junk. The chicken strips are their treats. I break them into little pieces for them several times a day. We joke about the work and expense saying that since they are human-grade, their our earthquake supplies. Our dogs eat better than a lot of people!

I found a picture of them.

--Pamela

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Great idea!  Thanks Pam,  I will try some in my dehydrator and countertop..Im gonna make a bunch..!These will make wonderful treats for my 3 dogs!  Not so fattening as regular and bread bites..plus they love chicken!

Sylvia

xaipete's picture
xaipete (not verified)

The chicken is 99% fat free. Make sure you use a high quality chicken breast like Foster Farms. We've found that some of the family packs of breasts at the supermarket chains aren't nearly as lean as the Foster Farms.

I don't give them a whole strip, I just break off pieces for them. I don't want them to choke.

I've never tried to make them in a regular dehydrator but I'm sure that would work too. I just have one of those Farberware Convection Ovens that have been around for 30 years. But it works great as a dehydrator.

--Pamela

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Chicken breasts for dogs.  And there are people in this world that can't afford a chicken and would eat a stray dog if they had one.  ...And you make chicken jerky for dogs but so exuberantly!   Think.

It is a sad day.

 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

You don't want to know what they feed the chickens Pamela dehydrates to feed her dogs. I'm sure you wouldn't approve.

David

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

I guess I'll have to get organic chicken..for my pound rescue babies!

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I will have to try these. I was wondering how they would be as hamburger buns...have you tried them that way ? I love your posts and descriptions...always well thought out. c

xaipete's picture
xaipete (not verified)

I didn't try them with actual hamburgers yet, but I did split them and use them like hamburger buns for both tuna salad and chicken curry salad. They were also great split, toasted and spread with cream cheese for breakfast!

I think these rolls are going to be one of my new favorite breads, esp. since they only require about 5 hours from start to finish.

--Pamela

Aprea's picture
Aprea

To try both the rolls and the dehydrated chicken.  I have 2 dogs - and I also often have spare meat - I wish there was some way of dehydrating boiled chicken - used for making stocks, etc.  I often get the little fryers from costco - boil the whole thing, gizzards and all - use the white meat - for the actual soup and feed the dogs the leftovers - 

Of course I am not going to go through the trouble to freeze what I cannot feed them so it often goes bad in the fridge.  If I could dehydrate it it would be super.  Refrigeration/freezer space is a premium around here.

 

Anna

 

xaipete's picture
xaipete (not verified)

You could try dehydrating the cooked meat. It might work. You never know.

--Pamela