A recent batch of veal/pork/beef meatballs inspired me to bake hoagie rolls:  meatball sandwiches, here we come!  The hoagie rolls are a soft, Philly-style cheesesteak bun, sturdy enough to hold up under sauce and cheese, but tender enough to chew.   Enriched with a little sugar, oil, milk egg, and barley malt syrup, the mixed dough (barely kneaded) rests in the refrigerator overnight, then is shaped while still cold/unrisen.  Each roll gets a score after an hour’s rising time, then an additional 15-minute rise to open up the cut into the hoagie roll’s characteristic shallow divot.

Hoagie rolls, adapted from Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day

• 5-1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 T sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp barley malt syrup
• 1 egg
• 3 T vegetable oil
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T lukewarm milk
• 2-1/2 tsp instant yeast

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.  Separately, in a smaller bowl, whisk malt syrup, egg, and oil.  Combine the water & milk, then stir in the instant yeast until dissolved.  Pour liquid ingredients into the flour mixture.  Mix with a wooden spoon for 4 minutes until well combined, then rest the dough for 5 minutes.  Stir vigorously for 2 more minutes; dough should be smooth and tacky (but not sticky).  Knead lightly inside the bowl.  Transfer to a lightly oiled container large enough to contain the dough as it doubles; refrigerate at least overnight, or for up to 4 days.

Remove dough from refrigerator at least 2 hours before baking.  Divide dough into 10-12 equally sized portions; shape into small torpedos or batards.  Place shaped dough onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan.  Allow to rise at room temperature for 1 hour.  Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Slash rolls with a lame or serrated knife and allow to rise for an additional 15 minutes.  Put rolls into the oven and reduce heat to 400 (use a steam pan if you wish).  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  Internal temperature should reach 190 degrees.

See Wild Yeast blog’s weekly roundup of breads over at YeastSpotting.