Bread for Dinner

What is it about homemade bread that makes a dinner special? The crisp outer crust with a tender, feathery interior - perfect for soaking up all the delicious juices that run over the plate. That seductive, yeasty aroma coming from the kitchen immediately lets everyone know that good things will be happening at the table that night.

In its purest form, bread is really the simplest combination of very humble ingredients - flour, water, salt and yeast. In more elaborate forms, it may be enriched with butter, eggs, milk and countless toppings and fillings to make it something even more special. Bread truly represents culinary magic - combining just a few ingredients to create something utterly unlike anything that goes into the recipe.

It is true, the best artisanal breads made at home do require time and patience. Long, leisurely rising times are the key to well-developed flavor in bread. That is not a reason, however, to forgo making bread for dinner altogether. Take these dinner rolls in the photo, for instance. The dough for dinner rolls can be quickly mixed, allowed to rise in the late afternoon and be shaped and baked right before dinner. They are very delicious with a pat of butter and ensure that your dinner at home will be a special event.

Dinner Rolls

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking, Parker House Rolls

1 c whole milk
2 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T sugar
3/4 t salt
2 T warm water
2 1/4 t yeast
1 egg
3 1/2 c flour

Heat milk in a small saucepan until warm. Stir in the butter, sugar and salt until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Allow the yeast to dissolve for 5 minutes. Stir the lukewarm milk mixture into the bowl with the yeast. Beat in the egg.

Stir in about half of the flour with a spoon and knead in the rest. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky. Adjust the amount of flour slightly to achieve a smooth dough. Place the dough ball into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.

When the dough has risen, turn onto a lightly floured surface and shape into two logs. Cut one dozen uniform pieces of dough from each log, and shape into the desired form. For round rolls, shape the dough into a round, pinching the loose edges of dough at the bottom of the roll.

Place rolls on greased cookie sheets, twelve rolls to a sheet. Cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 425 F oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, and serve the day they are made.

Yield: About 24 rolls