[Sourdough] Pumpkin Garlic Knots

[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.

[Sourdough] Pumpkin Garlic Knots

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

[Sourdough] Pumpkin Garlic Knots

In a stroke of good luck, my first try was a roaring success. The rolls were plump, soft, golden, and insanely irresistible after tossing with olive oil, freshly minced garlic, chiffonades of basil, and shaved herb gouda cheese.
 
I’m surprised I ended up with this many photos, but I guess we’re lucky I’m such a dough nerd. The real proof that this started as such a casual/lazy bake is that I didn’t even bother to weigh my ingredients – sorry! I promise I’ll add weights the next time I bake them. I hope we won’t have to wait very long. (Update from September 2019: got them, weigh away!)

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[Sourdough] Pumpkin Garlic Knots

[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.
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.

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