Name: Italian herb pan-steamed bread recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 11
Ingredients: 1 cup milk, lukewarm; 1 tsp instant yeast; 2 tsp caster sugar; 2 cups flour; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp dried Italian herbs; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp melted butter; 2 tbsp grated parmesan; 1 tsp salt flakes, extra; 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs, extra

by Greer Worsley Last updated on 09/03/2021

These yummy little pan-steamed bread rolls are soft and delicious served straight from the oven. With their Italian herb flavours, they’re perfect served with lasagne or risotto. - Greer Worsley

Ingredients

1 cup milk, lukewarm
1 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp caster sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1 tsp salt flakes, extra
1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs, extra

Method

Step 1

Combine lukewarm milk with yeast and sugar and set aside for 5 minutes until foamy. Place flour, salt and herbs in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Combine. Add milk and yeast mixture and mix on low. Add olive oil and continue mixing for 5 minutes until dough is soft and bounces back when you stick your finger into it.
Step 2

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
Step 3

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a medium oven-proof skillet (mine is 25cm). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 11 equal pieces. Roll into balls and place in skillet so they are not touching. Cover loosely and leave for 20 minutes to prove. They will ready when they have risen enough to be just touching. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle over 1 tbsp parmesan, extra salt and extra herbs.
Step 4

Cover pan with a large ‘tented’ piece of foil. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove foil and bake a further 2-4 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle over remaining parmesan. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

+ 1hr 20 mins proving.

You can make more or less than 11 rolls, but this was the perfect amount for my pan. I weighed the dough balls to ensure they were all the same size.

If you don’t devour them all straight away, you can rewarm them for a few minutes in a moderate oven.

You don’t want the foil to touch the dough - ‘tent’ it so it sits about 15cm above the dough and allows them to steam in the pan, before you remove the foil to let them brown up. For extra steaminess, and to allow for perfect rising, spray some water into the oven with the pan.

Recipe and photo by Greer Worsley.