ROSEMARY GARLIC KNOTS

Steps:

• In a medium pan over low heat, warm milk and 3/4 cup of butter until it melts. Stir occasionally to prevent milk from burning. Let cool.
• Combine warm water, 1 teaspoons sugar, and yeast in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes until it softens and begins to puff.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and remaining sugar at low speed until blended. Beat in the milk mixture. Gradually add 2-1/2 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until blended smooth.
• Replace the whisk with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture, salt, and 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat at medium low speed (2 on the KA mixer). You will have a very wet and loose dough that climbs the dough hook but falls back down into the bowl by this time.
• Two tablespoons at a time, add enough flour to form a firm but sticky dough ball. The dough ball will pull away from the sides of the bowl and not flop back to the sides. It will feel like "fly paper" when you touch it.
• Pour some oil into a large bowl that can be fitted with a lid or plastic cling wrap. On a very lightly flour dusted counter, and with lightly floured hands, turn the dough out and give it 3-5 quick hand kneads to form a good dough ball. Then put it in the buttered bowl, turning it over to coat evenly. Cover the bowl tightly, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• After an hour, punch down the dough, fold it over in half, then in half again, and cover the bowl again and let rise again until double, about 1 more hour.
• About 10 minutes before the last rise, in a large skillet, melt 4 T butter with 4 T extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the fresh rosemary and sea salt, mix well and scrape into a bowl. Set aside.
• When the last rise is done, you're ready to shape the rolls. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work space and cut it into 16 even pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into a rope about 11-inches long and flatten it. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoons of the garlic rosemary mixture along its length, then fold lengthwise and press the edges together TIGHTLY. Twist lenthwise, then shape into a knot. As you finish, place each on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Then let rise for about 45 minutes to an hour, until puffed.
• Before the end of this last rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the knots for about 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and brush with remaining garlic rosemary mixture or use to dip.