Makes 8 hoagie rolls
Hoagie rolls are a delicious vehicle for moving lobster, Philly cheesesteaks, Italian beef, breaded pork tenderloin, and Cuban sandwich ingredients to your mouth. Sure, you could eat the insides of those sandwiches on a salad or a bed of rice and eat like a queen. But sometimes you want soft bread around beef dripping in its own juices. Here’s the roll for most of the sandwiches in this book. Of course, you can also use one of these to make a hoagie, a sandwich that originated in Philadelphia with ham, prosciutto, salami, and provolone cheese with a strong oregano dressing. Why not?
Proof the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whisk together ⅓ cup of the warm water, the sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, until it is foamy and slightly rises in size.
Add the dry ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour blend, grain-free flour mix, psyllium husks, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until the dough is fluffy and slumps off the paddle, about 4 minutes.
Finish the dough. With the stand mixer running on low, add in bits of the butter, one at a time, making sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the whey and the remaining 1 cup of warm water, until the dough is soft and pliable, a bit shaggy. It will not be the consistency of traditional bread dough. Don’t add more flour to make it look like the bread dough you know. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.
Divide and proof the dough. The next day, bring the dough out of the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Scoop the dough out of the bowl onto a clean surface. It should be fairly kneadable at this point. Gently, move the dough around until the air is deflated and you have a smooth dough ball. Divide the dough into 6 balls. Flatten and work a ball of dough until is about 8 inches long. Starting from the top long side, roll the dough into a cigar shape. Roll the seams on the counter to seal it. Set aside the roll and finish the rest of the balls of dough. Let them rest on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until they have plumped out, 60 to 90 minutes.
Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush each hoagie roll with some of the beaten egg. If you wish, gently make a small shallow slash on the top of each roll. Slide the baking sheet into the oven. Bake until the rolls are golden brown and firm to the touch, 18 to 25 minutes. Take the hoagie rolls out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Move them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
Note: Whey is the liquid left over after you make cheese. Whenever we make fresh ricotta, we save the leftover whey for making these rolls. The protein and flavor in whey strengthen all gluten-free breads. If you don’t want to make ricotta, you can also pour off the liquid from whole-milk plain yogurt and use it here.