Roasted Garlic Knots - Pona Kāriki Tunu

Ingredients

• 400 ml (1 2/3 cups)lukewarm water
• 2 tbspsugar
• 2 tsp (6 g) instant yeast OR 1 3/4 tbsp (16 g) Surebake/bread makers yeastyeast
• 675 g (4 1/2 cups)high-grade flour
• 1 tspfine salt
• 2 tbspolive oil or neutral oil
• 4garlic bulbs
• 2 tbspolive oil or neutral oil
• 5garlic cloves
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1 tbspsugar
• 15 gfresh Italian parsley, or your favourite fresh herbs or 2 tsp dried herbs such as basil, thyme or rosemary
• 1 tsponion powder (optional)
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 130 gsoftened butter
• 200–250 ggrated cheese, ideally a melty cheese such as mozzarella
• To tastepepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate the yeast

   Stir the lukewarm water and 2 tbsp sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the yeast and stir. Leave instant yeast for 5 minutes, or Surebake yeast for 10 minutes, until it floats to the top; the Surebake mixture should also look foamy.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Add the flour, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp oil to the yeast mixture. Mix with a bread-and-butter knife until a shaggy dough forms.

3. 3

   Knead the dough

   For a stand mixer, knead with a dough hook on low-medium speed for 8–10 minutes. To knead by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured bench and work it with your palms for 10–12 minutes.

4. 4

   Let dough rise

   Put the dough in a bowl, cover it with a bowl cover or tea towel, and leave it for 1 1/4–1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

5. 5

   Roast the garlic

   While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 160°C on the bake setting. Cut the tops off the garlic bulbs and place them cut-side up on a small baking tray or cast-iron pan lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the 2 tbsp oil, then turn them cut-side down. Roast for 45 minutes, until very soft; if the cloves do not squeeze out like a paste, roast for another 10 minutes. Leave to cool.

6. 6

   Crush fresh garlic

   As the roasted garlic cools, mash the five fresh garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle until fine and soft. Alternatively, chop them finely and press them with the back of a knife.

7. 7

   Make garlic butter

   Combine the crushed fresh garlic with 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, onion powder and oregano in a mortar and pestle or bowl. Finely chop the parsley and stir it in. Add the softened butter and squeeze in all the cooled roasted garlic, then mix everything together.

8. 8

   Reserve butter

   Set aside 1/4 cup of the garlic butter for brushing over the hot buns. Use the rest for the filling.

9. 9

   Prepare the tray

   Line a high-sided 25 cm by 30 cm tray with baking paper. Use a tray close to this size so the buns rise together.

10. 10

    Roll out dough

    When the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 50 cm by 27 cm rectangle.

11. 11

    Add filling

    Spread the remaining garlic butter to the edges of the dough. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top half, then fold the bottom half up over it.

12. 12

    Shape the knots

    Mark out 12 equal strips and cut them with a sharp knife. Hold each strip at both ends, twist it two or three times, then fold the ends underneath each other to form a knot. Repeat with all 12 pieces, arranging them evenly in the prepared tray.

13. 13

    Rise again

    Cover the tray with a tea towel and leave the knots on the bench for 30–45 minutes, until puffed and touching.

14. 14

    Heat the oven

    While the knots rise, preheat the oven to 170°C.

15. 15

    Bake and serve

    Bake the risen knots for 30 minutes. Brush them with the reserved garlic butter as soon as they come out of the oven, and serve warm.

What are garlic knots?

Garlic knots are bread dough shaped into twists and knots, often finished with garlic butter. This version takes inspiration from Italian-American garlic bread, pairing a soft, yeasted dough with herbs, cheese and two kinds of garlic.

Roasted garlic brings a mellow sweetness, while fresh garlic adds a sharper savoury note. Baking the knots close together helps them stay soft at the sides.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 390 calories, 12g protein, 48g carbs, 17g fat.

Flour supplies most of the carbohydrates, while butter, cheese and oil contribute much of the fat; the cheese and flour provide some protein. Balance a knot with vegetables and a protein-rich dish, such as a bean or lentil soup.

Choosing the garlic and herbs

Roasted garlic: Roast the bulbs until the cloves squeeze out easily as a paste; they should be very soft, not just lightly browned. The cloves blend into the butter and spread through the filling.

Fresh garlic: Mash the five cloves finely so they mix evenly into the butter rather than leaving large, pungent pieces.

Herbs: Fresh parsley gives the filling a bright flavour. The recipe also allows your preferred fresh herbs or dried basil, thyme or rosemary.

Getting the dough right

Kneading: Work the dough for the full 8–10 minutes in a mixer or 10–12 minutes by hand. It should become smoother and more elastic as you knead.

First rise: Let the dough double in size, using the stated time as a guide rather than a strict deadline. A cool room can mean it needs longer.

Filling and shaping

Spread the garlic butter right to the edges, then distribute the cheese over the top half before folding the dough. This keeps the filling enclosed as the strips are twisted.

Cut 12 even strips, twist each two or three times and tuck the ends underneath. The knots need not look identical, but keep the cheese inside as you shape them.

Rise and bake cues

Second rise: Give the shaped knots 30–45 minutes, until they look puffed and are touching. This helps create a soft, pull-apart texture.

Bake: The recipe uses 170°C for 30 minutes. Brush on the reserved garlic butter as soon as the tray comes out so the warm tops take up its flavour.

What to serve with them

Serve the knots warm alongside soup or a crisp salad, or put them on the table with a summer barbecue. Their buttery, cheesy filling works well with simple mains and fresh sides.

For a meal with more balance, pair a knot with a protein-rich main and a generous portion of vegetables.

Recipe notes & tips

• Check the yeast liquid is lukewarm rather than hot before adding the yeast.
• Roast the garlic ahead of time and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge until needed.
• Use a tray close to 25 cm by 30 cm so the knots rise together.
• Flour the work surface lightly to make rolling easier without drying out the dough.
• Reserve the garlic butter before spreading the rest over the dough.
• Brush the knots while they are hot from the oven for the finishing butter to coat them easily.

Variations

• Try different herbs: Swap the parsley for your favourite fresh herbs or use 2 tsp dried basil, thyme or rosemary.
• Change the cheese: Use another grated cheese that melts well in place of mozzarella.
• Keep the onion powder: Include the optional teaspoon for a more savoury, rounded garlic butter.
• Make the roasted garlic ahead: Roast the bulbs days in advance and refrigerate them in a sealed container.
• Serve as a barbecue side: Bring the warm knots to the table alongside grilled food and salads.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using hot water: It can affect the yeast; use lukewarm water to activate it.
• Under-kneading: The dough may stay rough and less elastic; knead for the full time given for your method.
• Roasting garlic too briefly: The cloves should squeeze out as a soft paste; roast for another 10 minutes if needed.
• Overfilling the tray: A much larger tin can leave the knots rising apart; choose one close to 25 cm by 30 cm.
• Leaving the knots under-proofed: Bake only when they have puffed and are touching after the second rise.
• Forgetting the reserved butter: Set aside 1/4 cup before filling the dough so there is enough to brush on after baking.

How to store

These knots are best served warm. Store leftovers in a plastic bag or sealed container; the recipe recommends toasting them under the grill the next day to refresh them.

Frequently asked questions