[Sourdough] Pumpkin Garlic Knots

On a whim last weekend, I baked sourdough pumpkin garlic knots. It then became my solemn duty to write the recipe ASAP, lest it be forgotten and my future self and family – and my fellow Keepers of the Sourdough out there – be deprived of its simple glory.

Credit is due to this genius, who got me hooked on pumpkin garlic knots in the days when I always kept a little glass jar of active dry yeast in my fridge. Now that I’ve gone gung-ho for 100% sourdough, I wanted to take a shot at reworking this old favorite around my wild yeast.

Recommended Reading:

The Magic of Sourdough, Part I: Ancestral Biotech with Nutrition Benefits

Sourdough, Part II: The How and WHY of Getting Your Starter Started

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[Sourdough] Pumpkin Garlic Knots

adapted from neverhomemaker, who also makes another highly recommended variation that involves stuffing your knots with minced garlic, greens and brie. Yes! If you don’t have a baking stone, you can bake your loaves on a large sheet pan instead, which does not need to be preheated.

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Servings 12 knots

Ingredients

  

Dough:

• 240 grams (1 cup) sourdough starter recently fed and bubbly
• 120 grams (1/2 cup) warm water
• 140 grams (1/2 cup) pureed pumpkin
• 20 grams (2 tablespoons) olive oil plus extra to coat when rising
• 14 grams (1 tablespoon) maple syrup
• 1 gram (~1 teaspoon) salt
• 180 grams (1 1/2 cups) unbleached bread flour
• 180 grams (1 1/2 cups) whole wheat flour

To Serve:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs
• 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan or other cheese

Instructions

 

• Mix sourdough starter, water, pumpkin, olive oil, and maple syrup in a large bowl, then stir in the flours and salt to form a shaggy dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed, until the dough feels elastic and less sticky. Lightly drizzle the dough with olive oil and place it into a large bowl or lidded container, rolling over each side to evenly coat the surface. Cover the container loosely with its lid, plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and allow it to rise at room temperature or in a warm place for approximately 8 hours, give or take depending on your ambient temperature and activity of your starter, until roughly doubled in size.
• When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 420 F, and place a baking stone on the middle rack if you have one. Prepare a surface for working with the dough by lightly dusting it with all-purpose or whole-wheat flour. Tear off small pieces of dough (about 1/4 cup size); dust them with flour and shape them first into a ball to tighten their surface tension, then roll into a rope shape 6-8 inches in length. Create a loop with the dough and push one end through it to form a knot shape. Place each knot onto a parchment-lined cutting board (or pizza peel, or other sturdy, rimless platter).
• Open the oven and carefully slide the knots along with their parchment liner onto the baking stone and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. While they bake, prepare a topping by mixing the olive oil, salt, garlic, herbs and cheese in a large bowl. After baking, toss the rolls with the garlic oil before serving.