The Case of the Green Garlic . . .

# 44 - 2008

Garlic. You said Garlic. And then you said Bread. And then I said Count me in. And that’s when I found myself surrounded in an online rowdy (oh let’s never say raunchy) bake session with a bunch of wacked friends. Baking Soft Garlic Knots!

Um . . . these look like happy little boys & girls swimming along on their way to becoming knots.

The recipe can be found on the King Arthur web site but this is the recipe as I adapted it.

Dough

3 cups (14 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup (1 ounce) Dry Milk

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) potato flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 tablespoon garlic granuoles

handful parmesan cheese grated with a microplane so its thin and fluffy

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) olive oil

1 cup (8 ounces) lukewarm water*

*The dough felt a little dry to me and I added almost 2 tablespoons extra.

Glaze

6 cloves peeled, crushed garlic

6 tablespoons melted butter

I used this two ways. I first melted the butter with the garlic in it. Separated the garlic out to dip the dough ropes in but then added the garlic back in when I brushed the baked knots hot from the oven.

Dough: Whisk the dry ingredients together to prevent the potato flour from clumping when liquid is added. Stir in the olive oil and water, then mix and knead -- I did mine by hand -- to form a smooth, elastic dough, adding additional water or flour as needed. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, until it's doubled in bulk. This took all of 40 minutes in my 80° kitchen.

Shaping: Divide the dough into 16 pieces, and roll each into a rope about 11 inches long.

I then dipped the rope into melted garlic butter (but I strained the garlic out).

Tie each rope into a knot, tucking the loose ends into the center.

I know you think this is the challenge part but it’s a knot, just tie it. Did you ever think that this used to be “hand cream”? Butter.

Place the knots on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise until very puffy looking. And they may take on some other characteristics . . .

Baking: Bake the knots in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Mine took 18 minutes. They’ll be just lightly golden. Brush with the garlic butter when fresh and hot from the oven. Actually I brushed mine with the garlic butter 3 times, the knots just sucked it in. Try not to eat all 16 of them in the first hour.

Makes 16 garlic knots.

I can assure you that whatever characteristics they take on you really will have a difficult time not eating them all at once.

Now about green garlic. That’s it in the background of this page. It started life as ordinary and white. I crushed it in my garlic press and then microwaved it with the butter very gently. Lowest setting. Set it aside. When it came time to brush the knots hot from the oven. Yes it was green. You can read about why here and here.

So who did I bake with.

Not really a group, it’s more like a bunch of fun friends who have a very deep crazy striek.

Tieing themselves and me in knots were Lisa, John, Tartelette, Sara, Mary, Chris, Kelly, Marce, Ivonne, Stephanie, Ben, and Laura Rebecca. And that’s a baker’s dozen.

If you haven’t baked or cooked with a small group on-line (Skype, Chat or whatever you have). I can highly recommend it. Look around and I imagine you’ll find a few folks you might really enjoy. Invite them over for a time in you kitchen. And let the games begin.

Right now this party’s over.