Garlic Knots

Why this recipe works Made from leftover pizza dough, buttery, supremely garlicky garlic knots are a pizzeria classic. Could we bring them home without the help of a pizza delivery driver? The pizza dough recipes we tried made knots that were too dry or too hard. We wanted something fluffier than pizza crust but chewier than dinner rolls. Substituting all-purpose flour for bread flour softened the knots, and kneading for about 8 minutes provided the right elasticity. To give our knots potent flavor, we first tried dousing them in garlic powder, which tasted artificial, and then in raw garlic, which was too harsh. So we sautéed minced garlic—nine cloves of it—in butter, which we brushed over the knots. We also stirred some of the butter and the reserved toasty garlic solids into the dough. Finally, brushing the knots with garlic butter during baking and again just after taking them out of the oven satisfied our garlic cravings. Knots can be stored in a zipper-lock bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Wrapped in aluminum foil before being placed in the bag, the knots can be frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, wrap the knots (thawed if frozen) in foil, place them on a baking sheet, and bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

MAKES: 12 knots

RISING TIME: 2 to 3 hours

BAKING TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 3¼ to 4¼ hours, plus 15 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: 8-inch skillet, rimmed baking sheet, pastry brush

INGREDIENTS:

• 9 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon water
• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• coarse sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In an 8-inch skillet, cook garlic, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 teaspoon water over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is straw-colored, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining butter until melted. Strain the mixture into a bowl, reserving the garlic solids.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, yeast, and salt. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the remaining ¾ cup water, 1 tablespoon garlic butter, and the reserved garlic solids. Using the dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture.
3. Mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and there are no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom, about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, for about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size, for 1 to 1½ hours.
5. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Press down on the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and press and stretch it into a 12 by 6-inch rectangle, with the long side parallel to the counter edge.
6. Using a pizza cutter or a chef’s knife, cut the dough vertically into 12 (6 by 1-inch) strips. Cover the strips loosely with greased plastic wrap.
7. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keeping the remaining pieces covered), stretch and roll each piece into a 14-inch rope.
8. Shape each rope into a U shape with a 2-inch-wide bottom curve.
9. Tie the ends of the rope into a single overhand knot, leaving a 1½-inch open loop at the bottom.
10. Wrap one tail of the dough over the loop and press it through the opening from the top. Wrap the other tail under the loop and through the opening from the bottom. Pinch the ends together to seal.
11. Arrange the knots, pinched side down, on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart. Cover them loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them rise until nearly doubled in size and the dough springs back minimally when gently poked with your knuckle, for 1 to 1½ hours. (If refrigerating the garlic knots, they can be stored for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours.
12. Let the garlic knots sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.)
13. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the knots until set, for about 5 minutes. Brush them with 2 tablespoons of garlic butter, rotate the baking sheet, and bake until the knots are golden brown, for about 5 minutes.
14. Transfer the knots to a wire rack. Brush them with the remaining garlic butter, sprinkle with sea salt, and let them cool for 15 minutes. Serve them warm.