Sesame-Onion Crescent Rolls
Submitted by karen_noll on February 12, 2004 at 5:12 am

From "Soup Makes the Meal" by Ken Haedrich
Makes 16 rolls

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon sugar
About 5 cups KA AP flour
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups finely chopped onions
Fine-ground yellow cornmeal or semolina, for dusting
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for glaze
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Pour 1/4 cup of the warm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over it and stir to blend. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk remaining 1/4 cup water, milk, egg, and sugar together. Stir in the dissolved yeast. Add 3 cups of the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 100 strokes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

2. Stir the oil and salt into the batter. Using a wooden spoon, mix in enough of the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make a firm, fairly smooth dough,. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead with floured hands until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat the entire surface with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 ? hours.

3. While the dough rises, melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

4. Punch the dough down. Turn it out onto a floured surface and cut in half. Knead each half into a ball, then loosely cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets and dust them with cornmeal or semolina. Set aside.

5. Using a floured rolling pin, roll 1 ball of dough out into a 14-inch round. Spread half of the onions over the dough circle, leaving a 1-inch border. Cut the dough into 8 pieces, as you would a pie. Starting at the wide end of the wedge, roll it toward the point. Place the roll on the prepared baking sheet, seam (or point) facing down; turn the ends downward, shaping into an exaggerated crescent shape. Repeat for the remaining rolls and the other half of the dough. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap, then let the rolls rise in a warm, draft free spot until nearly doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, position 1 rack in the center and 1 rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

7. Brush the rolls with the egg glaze. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake until the rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes, changing the position of the sheets after 15 minutes. Serve at once or transfer the rolls to a wire rack and let cool.