Pretzel Rolls | cooking ala mel

One of our favorite restaurants around the Buffalo area is Black and Blue Steak & Crab. It’s a bit on the pricy side for tight budgeted college students, but special occasions and local restaurant week always bring us back there. Their steak is seasoned to perfection and cooked just the way I like it. They have roasted chickpeas in their chopped salad, which I need to remember that I’d like to try to recreate.. but their fresh baked pretzel rolls, I always look forward to the most. I always make sure to be especially hungry just so I can have a few extra rolls. After making mini pretzel paninis this summer, it hit me just how easy these would be to recreate; I finally got to it this weekend. And oh goodness, are they heavenly.

These pretzel rolls are perfect slathered with butter, dipped in mustard, made into a ham&cheese sandwich, sprinkled with cheddar, on their own…and apparently they’re good as a green bean casserole sandwich (Alex is weird..)? Because I waited till the next day to take photos, and I kept them in a ziploc bag overnight, they condensed a bit, as pretzels usually do, so they look a little bit wrinkly. The taste was just the same, though, so I’m not too bothered. I froze half of them so we wouldn’t be obligated to eat them all at once.

Pretzel Rolls

makes about 14 rolls

2 1/2 t active dry yeast
2 T honey
1 1/2 cups warm water
5 T Earth Balance spread (or butter), melted
2 1/2 t salt
4 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda

1 egg

coarse salt

Combine the warm water, yeast and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook; allow to sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy. Add in the Earth Balance and salt and stir. Slowly add in the flour while the mixer is running and allow to mix at a low speed until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl (should be smooth & elastic). Place the ball of dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has also been sprayed with oil. Allow to rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
Divide the ball of dough into fourteen pieces. Roll into balls. Cover with the plastic wrap and allow to rise again for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF and bring 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot on the stove. Add the baking soda to the water and stir to dissolve.

Place the dough balls two at a time into the boiling baking soda bath. After about 30 seconds on each side (they should float up to the top), remove them and place on a paper towel to dry off. Transfer the boiled pieces of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of cold water. Brush each pretzel roll with the egg wash, slash an X with a knife, and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt.
Bake about 25 minutes, until golden.

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