Rollò con Wurstel
(roh-LOH con VUR-stel)
Rosticceria at Home: After-School Snacks & Palermo Street Food
At 3:30 p.m. outside a Palermo rosticceria window, the afternoon rush demands Rollò con Wurstel, carrying the smell of sweet, yeasty dough baking alongside the savory snap of pork sausages, brioche coiled tight around supermarket franks. The trick requires lard, the traditional fat that makes this dough impossibly soft in a way butter just can't touch. We’ve adapted the resting times for an overnight cold ferment so you can pull these hot, sesame-studded beauties out of the oven on a busy Tuesday. Coil the dough, scatter the sesame seeds, bake them on parchment paper until the dough steams, and hand them out hot.
Ingredients
- bread flour1 1/4 cup
- all-purpose flour1 1/4 cup
- lukewarm water1 cup
- active dry yeast2 1/4 tsp
- granulated sugar2 1/2 tbsp
- pork lard3 tbsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- high-quality pork hot dogs8 large
- egg yolk1 large
- milk1 tbsp
- un-toasted sesame seeds2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Wake up the yeast to start the sponge.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar, stirring gently and resting for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- 02
Build the gluten network before introducing the fat.
Add the bread flour and all-purpose flour, then mix on low with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms. Let the flour and water mingle for about 3 minutes before adding the room-temperature lard a little bit at a time, followed by the salt.
- 03
Knead the dough until perfectly smooth and elastic.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough pulls entirely clean from the sides of the bowl and wraps securely around the hook.
- 04
Let the dough cold-ferment in the refrigerator overnight.
Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it tightly, and stash it in the fridge for up to 24 hours to slow down the yeast and develop a deep, complex flavor.
- 05
Divide the dough and roll into long ropes.
Pull the dough from the fridge an hour before shaping to take the chill off. Divide into 8 equal pieces and roll each by hand into a 10 to 12-inch rope—do not use a rolling pin.
- 06
Spiral the dough firmly around the hot dogs.
Wrap the dough rope tightly around each hot dog, leaving the two very ends of the sausage exposed, and pinch the ends of the dough into itself so it doesn't unravel while baking.
- 07
Proof the shaped rollò before glazing.
Place them seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover lightly with a towel, and let puff at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
- 08
Glaze, garnish, and bake until deeply golden.
Whisk the beaten egg yolk and milk together, brush the wash generously over the dough, and scatter heavily with sesame seeds. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes, serving them warm just as they are.
Notes
Respect the fat.
If you absolutely cannot find high-quality lard, use a 50/50 split of unsalted butter and vegetable shortening to best mimic the necessary melting point and moisture content.