WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Buttery, supremely garlicky garlic knots are a pizzeria classic made from leftover pizza dough. Now you can bring them home without the help of a pizza delivery driver. These irresistible garlic knots have a texture somewhere in between chewy pizza crust and fluffy dinner rolls. To give our knots potent garlic flavor, we sautéed minced garlic—nine cloves of it—in butter. We stirred some of this butter and its toasty garlic solids into the dough itself. Then, to further satisfy our garlic cravings, we brushed the knots with the garlic butter during baking and again just after taking them out of the oven. The knots can be stored in a zipper-lock bag at room temperature for up to three days. Wrapped in aluminum foil before being placed in the bag, the knots can be frozen for up to one month. To reheat, wrap the knots (thawed if frozen) in foil, place them on a baking sheet, and bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.
Makes: 12 knots
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus 2 hours rising time)
INGREDIENTS:
- 9 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon plus ¾ cup (6 ounces) water
- 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Coarse sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cook garlic, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 teaspoon water in 8-inch nonstick skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden brown, 9 to 12 minutes. Stir in remaining butter until melted. Strain into bowl, reserving garlic solids.
- Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk remaining ¾ cup water, 1 tablespoon garlic butter, and garlic solids together in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add water mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl but sticks to bottom, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Press down on dough to deflate. Transfer dough to clean counter. Press and stretch dough into 12 by 6-inch rectangle, with long side parallel to counter edge. Using pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut dough vertically into 12 (6 by 1-inch) strips, and cover loosely with greased plastic.
- Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), stretch and roll into 14-inch rope. Shape rope into U with 2-inch-wide bottom curve. Tie ends into single overhand knot, with 1½-inch open loop at bottom. Wrap 1 tail over loop and press through opening from top. Wrap other tail under loop and through opening from bottom. Pinch ends together to seal.
- Arrange knots pinched side down on prepared sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until nearly doubled in size and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 1 to 1½ hours. (Unrisen garlic knots can be refrigerated for up to 16 hours; let garlic knots sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bake knots until set, about 5 minutes. Brush with 2 tablespoons garlic butter, rotate sheet, and bake until knots are golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer knots to wire rack. Brush with remaining garlic butter, sprinkle with sea salt, and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm.
