Whole Wheat Rolls with Pumpkin Seeds

“You are the butter to my bread, and the breath to my life” 

Julia Child

Whenever I pass by old book markets I always stop for a while to look for some interesting cookbooks. You can often find real gems in such places. In this way I came into possession of three wonderful books, one of them being Kuchnia Polska (Polish Cuisine) from 1997. And this is where I found a recipe for whole wheat rolls. I am very fond of wholemeal bread, and when I discovered this recipe, I couldn’t resist it. The rolls are soft, compact and a bit moist at the same time. Somewhat sweet because of the addition of honey, they taste good with sweet as well as salty toppings. Obviously, I most willingly eat them while they are still warm and brushed only with butter (very addictive in this version), but they taste equally good with other toppings, too. They are easy to make, and believe me, the very preparation of rolls is going to give you great pleasure. 

Ingredients: (10-12 rolls)
220 g plain flour
220 g wholemeal rye flour
1 teaspoon salt
60 g fresh yeast
2 tablespoons runny honey
1 handful chopped pumpkin seeds and several whole seeds for the toppin

Method:
In a bowl, whisk together flours and salt. Make a well in the centre, crumb the yeast and add 1 ½ teaspoons of honey and ¾ cup of warm water. Gently stir with a fork until the yeast is dissolved. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set in a warm place for 15 minutes. After that, add the remaining portion of honey, chopped pumpkin seeds and another ¾ cup of warm water. Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky (if it is too wet add more flour as necessary – both types in 1:1 proportion). It should be compact, smooth and only slightly tacky. Again, cover the dough with the tea towel and leave in a warm place for half an hour. Punch the dough with a fist to remove air and place the dough on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal pieces and roll into balls. With a knife, make a cross on the top of each roll and place them on a flour-dusted backing tray. Cover with a cloth and rest them for 15 minutes. Then, brush the rolls with warm water and sprinkle on top with pumpkin seeds. Put the tray with rolls into the oven preheated to 200°C (392°F)  (lower and upper heater). Put another tray filled with cold water on a lower rack in the oven. Bake for approximately half an hour, until the rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped underneath.