Makes 14 rolls
THINK OF THESE WARM, GOLDEN SPIRALS AS SAVORY CINNAMON ROLLS. OR A garlic bread you can unfurl. You can either make these all in one go, allowing the dough to have just an hour during its first rise, or, if you’re a planner—good for you!—go for a longer cold rise in the refrigerator up to 12 hours ahead. It’s worth it for the flavor boost.
4 tablespoons/84 g unsalted butter
¾ cup/170 g well-shaken buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C)
1¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2¾ cups/352 g unbleached bread flour, spooned and leveled, plus more if needed and for dusting
1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt
Nonstick cooking spray or oil for bowl and pan
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, finely minced (to equal a generous ⅓ cup/50 g)
Fine sea salt
4 tablespoons/57 g butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup/50 g grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg, separated
1 tablespoon water
Prepare the dough: In a large, microwave-safe measuring cup, melt the butter in a microwave on HIGH, about 1 minute—it should be hot, but not bubbling. Whisk in the buttermilk. You should now have a liquid that’s just warm to the touch.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the warm water and yeast. Let dissolve for a few minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk mixture, sugar, and egg. Add the flour and salt and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Attach the bowl to the mixer along with the dough hook. Knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and freely clears the sides of the bowl, 6 to 7 minutes. If the dough is still clinging to the sides of the bowl after the first 2 minutes of kneading, add additional flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough clings just to the center 2 inches/5 cm of the bottom of the bowl while kneading.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times by hand until smooth and springy. Shape the dough into a ball. Spray the mixer bowl with nonstick cooking spray or oil it lightly and place the dough back into it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours for maximum flavor, or if you’re short on time, let rise in a warm place until it has doubled, about 1 hour.
If you’ve gone for a cold rise, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it warm up at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: In a 1- to 1½-quart/1 to 1.4 ml saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and a few pinches of salt. Stirring often, gently cook the garlic until nearly translucent, about 5 minutes—don’t allow it to brown. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, beat the butter by hand until soft and creamy. Blend in the cooked garlic and oil, ¾ teaspoon of the salt, basil, oregano, a few grinds of the pepper, the Parmesan, and the lemon juice and egg yolk.
In a small cup, beat the egg white with the water and a pinch of salt until liquefied. Grease a 10-inch/25 cm cast-iron skillet, or similar-sized heavy baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or oil.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough onto it. Press the dough into a rough rectangle, with a long side closest to you. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 10 × 14-inch/25 × 35.5 cm rectangle. Spread the filling on the dough, leaving a ½-inch/1.25 cm bare border on all sides. Roll the dough away from you into a tight log. Brush the filling-free border with the egg white mixture. Finish the roll and pinch tightly to seal. Cut the log into 14 equal rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared skillet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F/180°C. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg white mixture and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
Bake until puffed and golden, about 30 minutes (the internal temperature should register at least 190°F/88°C on an instant-read thermometer). Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving from the skillet.