Professor Butter Beard’s Pesto Brioche Rolls
2 Dozen Rolls
Pesto (in this order)
4 garlic cloves
¼ tsp Kosher salt
Leaves from one large bunch of fresh basil (about 5 ounces)
3-4 Tbsp toasted pinenuts
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ cup of your best olive oil
Lemon Brioche
¼ cup granulated sugar
Zest of two lemons
4 cups bread flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
3 ½ tsp instant dried yeast
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
2 sticks (one cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1) Using a large mortar and pestle, grind together in the following order: the garlic and salt, basil leaves (add in four additions), the toasted and cooled pinenuts and then the parmesan cheese. Fold in ¾ of the olive oil. Scrape the pesto into a bowl, pour the remaining olive oil over the top and cover with plastic. Refrigerate until use.
2) Using a standing mixer, whisk together the sugar and zest until evenly combined, moist and fragrant. Add the flour, salt, dried yeast, eggs and buttermilk and mix on a slow speed for 2 minutes to combine the ingredients, then increase the speed to medium for 10 minutes to form a soft elastic dough.
3) Add the butter, in 1 Tbsp pieces, and continue to mix on a medium speed to form a very shiny and soft dough. Scrape into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic. Set aside to double in size (or even better, refrigerate the dough overnight).
4) Line two muffin pans with parchment paper liners. Tip out the dough and divide it in half. Return one half to the oiled bowl while you work with the first half.
5) Roll the first half into a rectangle, roughly 12” by 16”. Spread ¾ cup of your pesto over the upper two-thirds of the dough. Roll the dough up into a tight log. Use dental floss to cut the log into twelve even pieces. Place each piece onto a parchment liner and place into the muffin pan.
6) Preheat your oven to 400 while you prep the second set of rolls.
7) Once your oven comes to temperature, your first batch of rolls should be ready to bake. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes. After removing the pan from the oven, brush the tops of the rolls with additional olive oil.
8) Cool in the pans for five minutes, then remove to further cool on a wire rack.
