is for Brotchen–
a roll by any other name
just isn’t

I received this recipe for German dinner rolls—the diminutive of brot, or “bread”—from my mom’s neighbor Irene, who runs a very busy delicatessen. They serve several types of sausages, great hot German potato salad and sauerkraut, a wide world of beer, and all sorts of imported wines and other treats. I try to stop in every time I’m down visiting; I can’t resist. I consider this recipe a special gift.

Brötchen

2½ cups flour, plus another ½ cup for kneading

1 teaspoon salt

1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon oil

1 egg white

Place 2½ cups flour into a large bowl, stir in the salt, then make a well in the middle of the flour. Pour the dry yeast, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water (from the 1 cup listed above) in the well. Using your fingers, mix yeast, sugar, and water carefully within the well—do not mix with the flour at this time. Cover bowl with a cloth and set in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Add the remaining water and the oil to the well and beat dough with a wooden spoon until mixed. Turn out onto a floured counter and knead until smooth. Add dustings of the ½ cup flour as needed to keep dough from being sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then a towel, and let rise until doubled in size, usually about 1 hour. Punch down and knead for a minute or two, then divide into 12 parts (you may need a little more flour to keep the dough from sticking to the kneading surface). Shape into ovals and place 3 inches apart on two greased and floured baking sheets. Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size, about 40 minutes.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a pan or ovenproof bowl filled with water in the bottom of the oven and leave this in while the rolls bake—this is important. Beat egg white with 1 teaspoon water until frothy, then brush on the rolls. With rack in the middle of the oven, bake rolls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Yields 12 brötchen.