This post focuses on not only fresh Asiago rolls, which can certainly be enjoyed plain with their cheese flavor, but also on two different toppings that work very well with them. The first is apple butter - the ill-named topping that actually has no butter in it whatsoever and is actually very healthy. The second is a warm caramelized onion cheese dip. The warm and cold of the two, cheesy and fruity, provide some excellent choices for everyone.
Time: 3.5 hrs
Difficulty: Medium
Asiago Rolls
Time: 3.5 hrs
We'll get started with the rolls since, as you can see, they will take the longest. Luckily much of the preparation time is really rising time so you will be able to accomplish other things around your house as the dough rises.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp honey
1 package yeast
1 egg
3 cups flour
3/4 cup shredded Asiago
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)
Dissolve half of the honey and the yeast in 3/4 cup of warm water in a large bowl. You do not want hot/boiling water but it should be very warm water from your tap. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then add the other half of the honey and the egg (beaten previously). Stir gently.
Once those are mixed add 2.5 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of shredded Asiago cheese, and the 5 spices listed above. Mix to form a soft dough. If it is too liquid-y add a tiny bit more flour. Add slowly to avoid adding too much flour.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface (I have granite counters and like to put flour directly upon them for this.) Cover your hands with flour as well and knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until it is elastic-y. You should be using the extra flour to flour your hands/counter and to add as needed, but only if needed.
Once the dough is kneaded, elastic, and not sticky place it in a large bowl (it will rise) coated with cooking spray. Flip the dough over once or twice to make sure the entire ball of dough is lightly coated in the spray. Cover with a towel and put in a place that is relatively warm and free of drafts. I usually just go with my microwave (not on) and that works out well. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. At that point it should be doubled in size and if you press 2 fingers into it the indentation should remain. If that is the case, punch the dough down, re-cover, put back in its warm place, and let rise another hour. It should be doubled in size.
When the dough is ready, punch it down again. Preheat your oven to 425. Separate the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. (Or roughly equal anyway!) Roll each into a ball. Place them on a greased cookie sheet, cover, and let them rise for 30 minutes. Uncover and top with the remaining Asiago cheese. Bake for 18 minutes.
Fresh Apple Butter
The apple butter will be the second most timely piece of this preparation. Once again, however, a lot of the time will not involve constant watching or work. I'm also not entirely sure why apple butter even earned its name. While it is indeed a spread for bread it actually does not contain any butter at all. Instead it is made of slowly sauteed apples that are delicious and soft and mashed down to form a sauce. While it works very well with bread you can also easily enjoy it with crackers or other favorites.
Ingredients:
5 apples
3/4 - 1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)
Cut your apples and core them. If you choose to do so, you can peel them, but I enjoy the skins and left them on when I made this recipe. Cut your apples into wedges. Place them in a large boiling pot and pour in the cider. You'll want to use 3/4 - 1 cup depending how large your apples are so play it by ear based upon how they look in the pan. Bring them to a boil and then turn the heat down a bit to a simmer and let the apples simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes the apples should be soft. Pour the entire mixture into a food processor and pulse a few times. Let the mixture stay chunky but allow the apples to be a bit smaller in size.
Put the apple mixture back in the pan and add the sugar, lemon juice, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. Keep your pan over low heat and stir every 10-15 minutes but allow it to cook slowly and thicken. After an hour it is done. You can serve it warm or place it in an airtight container and chill it first. It will keep in that container in your fridge for several weeks.
Caramelized Onion Dip
Last but not least, we have the warm caramelized onion dip. The cheesy warmth provides an excellent contrast to the cool crispness of the apple butter. If you enjoy spinach and artichoke dips and other such concoctions this will be a sure favorite for you.
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fat free cream cheese
1/8 cup fat free mayo
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)
Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and Thyme. Stir frequently to avoid burning and cook for 10-12 minutes or until onion is browned. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for another 20 minutes, still stirring fairly frequently. This long heating process will allow the onions to become caramelized.
After the twenty minutes stir in the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, mayo, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir constantly until it is well-blended and the cheese is smooth. Remove immediately from heat upon it reaching that point and eat immediately.
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