Make your own homemade rolls with my easy semolina bread dough recipe. These rustic, hearty Italian semolina rolls are crusty on the outside and have a tender, pale yellow crumb on the inside due to the semolina flour. Fill them with your favorite sandwich ingredients or serve as dinner rolls.
Is there anything more intoxicating than the aroma of fresh bread baking in your oven? I don't think so! The scent of bread baking in the oven brings me back to my childhood with images of my mom kneading huge amounts of dough at our kitchen table. We anxiously waited for that bread to come out of the oven so we could dip it in olive oil!
Although I don't bake batches of bread nearly as large as my mother does, there is something so satisfying about making bread at home for your family.
These semolina rolls are rustic, hearty and have a wonderful satisfying bite to them. They're perfect served as dinner rolls or transformed into panini and stuffed with your favorite Italian cured meats and cheeses for lunch or a picnic.
I recently used them to mop up the last bits of eggs and tomato (fare la scarpetta) when I enjoyed my favorite fried tomatoes with eggs recipe
If you're looking for soft and fluffy grocery store style rolls, these are definitely not them!
Origins of this recipe
Semolina bread with sesame seeds is what you'll find throughout Sicily. I spent a considerable amount of time experimenting with semolina flour in my bread dough and created this semolina bread with sesame seeds.
This bread (and many of you agreed) comes quite close to the delicious bread I enjoyed during my travels in Sicily. So I decided to transform my semolina dough recipe into rolls!
What is semolina?
Semolina flour is made from durum wheat and is significantly higher in gluten as well as fiber and protein as compared to all-purpose flour. It has a nutty flavor and it's pale yellow color is quite apparent in this semolina bread.
There are different grades of semolina ranging from coarse to finer textured varieties. I used a fine textured double milled semolina flour, also known as semolina rimacinata, to make this bread.
What else can you make with semolina flour?
The most common use of semolina is for making pasta and in fact this is the number one use of semolina in Italy (no surprise!). Commercial dry pastas are made with semolina flour. However, you can also make your own pasta at home with only two ingredients, semolina and water. Check out my posts for busiate pasta and cavatelli!
Where can I purchase semolina flour?
Most grocery stores carry semolina flour usually located in the same aisle as baking products and other packaged dry goods.
However, you can easily purchase semolina flour online here.
Ingredient list
- Semolina flour
- All-purpose flour
- Active dry yeast
- Honey
- Salt
- Water: for dissolving the yeast in
- Sesame seeds (optional): for sprinkling over the rolls
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
Proof the yeast: heat water until lukewarm and transfer to a bowl. Dissolve honey by stirring it in the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
Prepare the dough:
- Meanwhile, combine semolina, all-purpose flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer and combine.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and on low speed mix until combined and a dough begins to form. The dough will be very wet at first, this is normal.
- Mix on medium speed for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. After 4-5 minutes of kneading the dough will wrap itself around the hook and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area, free from draft until it doubles in bulk, about two hours.
Shape the semolina rolls:
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. I used a kitchen scale to divide the dough into approximate 110 gram balls.
- For larger rolls, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Or for mini rolls, divide into 8-10 pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a parchment paper or silicone mat covered baking sheet.
- Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- If you wish, score your bread with a sharp knife. Brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and place a pan full of water on the lower rack of the oven.
PRO TIP: A pan full of water placed on the lower rack of the oven will create steam during baking and result in a beautiful crackly crust.
Bake the rolls:
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until the rolls are golden brown underneath and sound hollow when tapped underneath.
PRO TIP: Each oven bakes differently, therefore begin checking your rolls after 12 minutes of baking. If they are sufficiently browned, lower temperature to 375 degrees F right away and continue baking for 10-13 minutes until done.
- Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
PRO TIP: Avoid the temptation to bite into the hot rolls immediately. To ensure the best texture (not dense or gummy) wait until the semolina rolls are cooled before cutting into them.
Recipe Notes
Yes it is possible to prepare this dough by hand as follows:
-Combine semolina flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
-Make a well in the center and stir in the proofed yeast with a wooden spoon until a raggedy dough takes shape.
-Transfer the mixture onto a well floured surface and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. -Add a spoonful of flour or two, as needed, if the dough becomes too sticky to handle. Avoid adding too much extra flour.
-Shape into a ball and proceed with the recipe.
Due to it's high hydration, this bread dough is quite sticky and this is normal. If necessary, add one or two spoonfuls of additional semolina or all-purpose flour until you can easily handle the dough. Avoid adding too much extra flour in order to ensure bread with a tender crumb.
Yes it can. After kneading the dough and shaping it into a ball, place in a greased bowl and refrigerate overnight. Bring the dough to room temperature (about 2 hours) before shaping it as outlined in the recipe.
Store semolina rolls in an airtight container or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Baked semolina rolls may be frozen in freezer bags or an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Have you tried this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
Here are more bread recipes for you to try!
Ingredients
- 1 envelope active dry yeast 8 grams
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1 ¾ cups double milled semolina flour (semolina rimacinata)
- ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds optional
Instructions
Proof your yeast
- Heat water until lukewarm and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in honey until it dissolves. Add an envelope of instant yeast (8 grams), stir gently and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Prepare the dough
- Meanwhile, add the semolina flour, all purpose flour and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix until combined.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and on low speed mix until combined and a dough begins to form. The dough will be very wet at first, this is normal.
- Mix on medium speed for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. After 4-5 minutes of kneading the dough will wrap itself around the hook and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area, free from draft until it doubles in bulk, about two hours.
Shape the semolina rolls
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. I used a kitchen scale to divide the dough into approximate 110 gram balls. For larger rolls, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Or for mini rolls, divide into 8-10 pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough and place on a parchment paper or silicone mat covered baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- If you wish, score the rolls with a sharp knife. Brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
To bake
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and place a pan full of water on the lower rack of the oven.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until the rolls are golden brown underneath and sound hollow when tapped underneath.
- Each oven bakes differently, therefore begin checking your rolls after 12 minutes of baking. If they are sufficiently browned, lower temperature to 375 degrees F right away and continue baking for 10-13 minutes until done.
- Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
-Combine semolina flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
-Make a well in the center and stir in the proofed yeast with a wooden spoon until a raggedy dough takes shape.
-Transfer the mixture onto a well floured surface and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. -Add a spoonful of flour or two, as needed, if the dough becomes too sticky to handle. Avoid adding too much extra flour.
-Shape into a ball and proceed with the recipe. My dough is very sticky and difficult to handle. What can I do? Due to it's high hydration, this bread dough is quite sticky and this is normal. If necessary, add one or two spoonfuls of additional semolina or all-purpose flour until you can easily handle the dough. Avoid adding too much extra flour in order to ensure bread with a tender crumb. Can semolina bread dough be prepared a day ahead? Yes it can. After kneading the dough and shaping it into a ball, place in a greased bowl and refrigerate overnight. Bring the dough to room temperature (about 2 hours) before shaping it as outlined in the recipe. How to store semolina rolls: Store semolina rolls in an airtight container or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Can Italian semolina rolls be frozen? Baked semolina rolls may be frozen in freezer bags or an airtight container for up to 1 month. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Nutrition
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Marie Elaine Geismar
Can I add an egg to this recipe?
Nadia
Hello Marie Elaine, do you mean in the dough or brushed over the top? If you meant in the dough, I must admit I have never added an egg to my bread dough so I can't be sure of the results. If instead, you want to brush the tops with egg white in order to help the sesame seeds adhere to the top, that would definitely work. Hope this helps!
Julie
My nonna used to make something similar to these buns in muffin tins v when I was very young, and we’d cut the top off, drizzle the middle with olive oil, fresh Parmesan and black pepper, then smash the top back on and down. I think she called them (In Sicilian) “pane drutsi”). Have you ever heard of this? Can’t wait to try your recipe! Thanks.
Nadia
Hello Julie, your lovely memory is making me drool, sounds so good! I have not heard of this term, pane drutsi, before but now I'm curious about it. If you try out this recipe let me know if it comes close. Thank you!
Tina Brietigam
Great rolls, Wonderful crust and consistency. I had no problem with the dough being too sticky. I did feel that it could use a bit more salt but that's personal taste and I'll add that the next time I make them. Thanks for a great recipe.
Nadia
Hi Tina, so glad you enjoyed these tasty rolls and you can definitely increase the salt a little bit next time. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Lina
I can’t wait to try these buns. They sound delicious.
Nadia
I think you'll enjoy them Lina, let me know how they turn out. THanks!
Anna Bucciarelli
Aren't the ingredients here the same as for the loaf bread?
Nadia
Yes indeed they are Anna! In fact I had a request on how to prepare and shape them into rolls, so I shared step by step images on how to do so.
FM
Very nice!
Nadia
Thank you!