If you're like us, going to the time and effort to make a delicious sandwich, then you don't want to compromise your bread, you'll want something like Crusty Italian Sandwich Rolls to hold your tasty filling. This bread has a crispy crust but with a soft interior that doesn't crumble. And it certainly won't injure the roof of your mouth with too crisp of a crust nor will it take ages to chew and swallow.
These Italian sandwich rolls are a type of sub or hoagie rolls that are made in the style of a classic Italian bread. This isn't the typical bread they call Italian bread in the US -- it's more like the Italian bread made in the rustic tradition.
We went on a quest to find the perfect bread for our Picante Italian Beef - Chicago Style. When I'm looking for bread recipes I go to is Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. When I started seriously baking bread this is the first book I bought and, believe me, it has been well used. He is an absolute genius with bread and I trust his recipes and directions -- they are thorough and easy to follow.
Growing up, homemade bread was very important in our household. Several times a week I can remember our house filled with the aroma of bread baking. I'll never forget our first reaction to commercial bread. You know the kind I'm talking about -- it has the colored balloons on the outside and inside you find perfectly uniform slices. That day Mamma reached inside the loaf and took out a slice for each of us. It was as light as a feather and looked like a cloud surrounded by a brown ridge. We took a bite and chewed. We looked at each other and then took another bite and slowly chewed. No-one spoke.
Finally, my papà broke the silence, "Ma che cos'è?" (But what is it?)
The bread was spongy, snow white and quite tasteless. It certainly wasn't the hearty bread we were used to! Needless to say, mamma and papà didn't buy any more commercial bread. Instead, mamma made all the bread that we ate at home. When I was at school I ate what was offered, although it wasn't always easy. The taste and texture of many of the foods were totally foreign. The first time I had beef stew I gagged -- I couldn't eat it. I think it was something about the taste of the carrots. 🙁
The Crusty Italian Sandwich Rolls recipe is a two-day recipe, this is optimal for the best taste. You can fudge a little and do it in one day -- but letting the flavors develop overnight will give you the greatest flavor. To begin with, you make a starter or a biga. The following day you make the dough, form the rolls and then bake. Treat yourself and your family to some homemade Crusty Italian Sandwich Rolls.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
YOU MAY NEED...
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Crusty Italian Sandwich Roll Recipe
📖 Recipe
Crusty Italian Sandwich Rolls
Ingredients
For the starter or biga
- 2 ½ cups 320 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- ¾ to 1 cup warm water about 100-105 F
For the Dough
- 2 ½ cups 320 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ to 1 cup warm water 100-105 F
- Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
- 1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water for egg wash
- 1 cup hot water for steam pan
Instructions
- To make the starter or biga, combine the flour and yeast in a medium bowl, slowly add the ¾ cup water. Mix until a rough dough forms. If needed, add up to 1 cup of water. Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured surface and knead for a few minutes until it becomes smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let stand at room temperature for about 3 hours.
- Transfer to the refrigerator and let it chill overnight. In the morning, remove the biga from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before proceeding.
- Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast thoroughly in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut the biga into small pieces (10-12) and add them in, then, finally the ¾ cup of the water with the 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Stir together until a dough starts to form. Knead on low with your stand mixer dough hook. Continue to knead the dough for about 5 to 7 minutes -- until a soft dough forms. If needed, add in some of the remaining water a little at a time. The dough should be smooth and elastic -- just barely sticky.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Remove the dough to a lightly-floured surface. Cut it in 2 being careful not to deflate too much. Cut each piece into 3 equal parts. Shape each piece into a torpedo.
- Place the shaped dough on a parchment covered making sheet that was sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Spray the shaped rolls lightly with oil, then tent lightly with plastic wrap to rise until they are puffy and almost doubled, about 1 hour.
- Lightly brush each roll with egg wash then score the rolls with a sharp knife or lamé either on the diagonal or down the middle.
- Place a metal baking pan on the lower rack of the oven for use as a steam pan and preheat the oven to 450 F/220 C. When the oven is preheated pour hot water into the metal baking pan and transfer the roll pan to the oven. Bake about 17-20 minutes, until the tops are a golden brown and the internal temperature measures 190 F.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Alternate version: Italian Dinner Rolls
- When you are ready to shape the dough measure out 2 oz. pieces and shape them into balls. We got 17 of them. Then follow the directions above until you are ready to bake. Brush an egg wash--1 egg white mixed with ½ cup cool tap water -- on the rolls. Score the top by snipping with scissors then proceed as the rolls above. Bake for 20 minutes or until nicely brown.
Notes
- Adapted from Peter Reinhart's recipe in The Bread Baker's Apprentice
Nutrition
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Terri
In the nutrition information, you have 4800mg of sodium per bun listed. I am assuming a typo?
Marisa Franca
Hello Terri! That is not a typo. Kosher salt contains less sodium than sea salt. This is due to the processing and the size of the grains. Kosher salt has about 1,120 to 1,800 mg of sodium. In contrast, sea salt can have 1,920 to 2,300 mg of sodium. This amount varies by brand and grind. I hope this clarifies things for you.
Heather
Hello, A quick question about yeast: if I use regular (not instant), would you recommend that I use the same amount but proof in some of the water first? I did not take the time to read through all of the comments, so please forgive if this question is one you already answered. Many thanks in advance - looking forward to making this recipe as dinner rolls to go along with lasagna for our Christmas family meal.
Marisa Franca
Hi Heather! Yes you would proof in the water first to activate the yeast. Anymore we use Instant just for the convenience of it. Happy Baking!!
Gillian Orford
I’ve been trying bread recipes now I’m retired. I made these last week and husband said “stop! these are the best” High praise indeed. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Marisa Franca
Hello Gillian!! We do love our bread, don't we? Hubby and I make bread, take our taste, and then freeze once the bread has cooled. It is such a temptation. Thank you for your sweet comment. I'm so glad Hubby liked it!! Happy baking!
Michael DeChirico
I was skeptical of the recipe because of so many others that are posted on various internet sites.
But I had some time this weekend and thought I would give it a try. I am glad I did.
The rolls turned out great!
Thanks!
Marisa Franca
I'm so glad you liked the crusty rolls. They are the favorites during our holiday meals. Happy baking!
Bobby
Thank you very much for the recipe - I will be trying it today. There are so many wonderful recipes on your website that I have bookmarked it to my recipes folder.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Bobby! Happy cooking and baking! I'd love to know what you try and taste!
Jerry Robin
I haven't tried this recipe yet - because I want to make sure that your biga flour quantity isn't a typo. Other similar recipes call for approx 25% that amount of flour for the biga. 320g for the biga and 320g for the mail dough??
Marisa Franca
Ciao Jerry! Thank you for your interest in our recipe. Yes, the amounts are correct. We've made the recipe many times. Happy Baking and Buon Appetito!
Lexi
Ciao! I am planning on making the biga tonight and baking these tomorrow. Are they okay to leave in the fridge from tonight around 9pm to tomorrow around 3pm (~18 hours) or would it be better to take it out of the fridge tomorrow morning and leave at room temperature until 3pm? Excited to try this recipe!
Marisa Franca
Ciao Lexi!! It would be better to take the biga out of the fridge closer to when you're going to make the rolls. Let me know how you like the rolls. We really love making this recipe. Un abbraccio forte!!
Shauna
I just returned from Italy and was trying to find a recipe to recreate the Italian “street style” sandwiches that we ate frequently on our trip. These turned out so great! Mine did not rise much more when baking than after the final proof but were just the right height to make the perfect balanced sandwich! Thanks for a great recipe- I’ll be saving this for future use!
Marisa Franca
Grazie Shauna! I'm so glad you enjoyed the rolls -- we lOVE them and make them often. Happy baking.
Deb
First time making this recipe. They did not rise in the oven. Because it was the first time I used the time frame in the recipe. Is it possible the 2 hour rise at room temperature was too long. When I looked at it it seemed to have risen more than doubled.
Marisa Franca
Hi Deb! Sometimes the heat in your kitchen can augment the rise of the dough. That's why it's necessary to watch and observe how fast they're rising. If they rose too fast and too much in the kitchen, they aren't going to rise that much in the oven.
Sadie
Excellent! I made two batches of these rolls, as well as two of the Italian Hard Rolls, within in a few days of each other and couldn't see a significant difference between the two, other than the shape of the rolls and the prep. They're both great sandwich rolls, with a sturdy, soft, moist, slightly chewy crumb. The crust on these rolls is a bit thicker and chewier than the Italian Hard Rolls. I followed the recipe using weight measures without making changes, mixed and kneaded the dough by hand, and used steam to bake. For the second batch I followed the tip to mix the water with the biga to soften it which made it easier to incorporate into the dough.
JoAnne George
Hi Marisa! What is the maximum time that the dough can be refrigerated?
Marisa Franca
Hi JoAnne! I would say 3 days max but for better quality, I wouldn't go past 2 days. I hope that helps. Let us know how it goes!! xoxo
Ginger
Hello, I already have sourdough starter in my fridge. If I want to use that instead of making a batch of 'biga', how many grams of starter would I need to use?
Marisa Franca
Hi Ginger! I wish I could give you an amount, but I don't know the ratios of your sourdough starter to the ratios of this biga. I'd hate to steer you wrong since I've never made it using your sourdough starter. Let me know if you do try it. Happy Baking!
Joseph
Hello , can I make the dough in a bread machine ??
Marisa Franca
Ciao Joseph! I do not have a bread machine so I really can't advise you how well they would turn out. I'm sorry I can't answer this. You might look at the manufacturer's instructions to see if you can adapt it to regular recipes. Let me know if you try it out.
Joseph
it has a setting for dough, will try it and keep you posted, Ciao
Bill H.
I made these rolls today and they were delicious.
I expected them to be a little more crusty. But they had a nice, firm chew and held up well to Italian sausage with grilled bell peppers and onions.
Also, the recipe makes 6 rolls. They were about 8-9” long. A little big for my wife and I. Next time, I will divide into 8 pieces which should make 6” rolls.
But overall, this is a great recipe that I’ll make over and over again.
Marisa Franca
Hi Bill! Thank you for your nice comment. Sounds like the next time your rolls will be just the right size for you. Next time you should get that crusty outside. AND you can't beat Italian sausage with grilled peppers and onions!
Mary
If making 6 loaves rather than 8, what would be the approximate baking time?
I'm going to start these tonight. Great reviews!
MAXFIELDJOHN
Grazie per la ricetta. E' il miglior pane italiano ,peccato che occorre tanto lavoro,ma vale la pena. Cosa pensa del no knead bread?What is your best pizza? You work very hard and are very talented. Congratulazioni e grazie di nuovo for sharing the best in the business. Brava Marisa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marni R
Hi!
I am really excited to try this recipe this weekend for sausage sandwiches. I'm a rookie at bread baking and am curious when shaping into the torpedoes, about how long and how wide should the dough be (in inches)?
Thank you for your help.
Marisa Franca
Hi Marni! Basically, it's a baguette for a sandwich. You're not going to be worried about the width so much as the length. The torpedo will be about 6 inches. Think about the length of your sausage. You're going to do great. If you have a last-minute question just ask and I'll get back to you. Let us know how it goes. xoxo
Alisha Pratt
I mis-typed my email, so this may be a duplicate, Thanks So Much I am looking forward to a roll that squishy for my Italian beef! I have a pan that has 3 slots, 3"x3"x12" each, will this recipe fill it or should I make another batch at the same time? Thanks!!!
Marisa Franca
Hello Alisha - I did get the other email. I do believe that it will fill the three slots. If you have some leftover, keep it in the fridge and make it later. Let me know how they turn out. Happy baking!! xoxo
Cindy Boscarelli
I just made these and they are fabulous!! I'm tickled pink! Thank you so much! My husband is Italian and loves to cook. I do the baking and have finally found my go to for all his Sammy's and other things we want a great bread for! Yummo!
Marisa Franca
Ciao Cindy! Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I'm glad you and Hubby like the crusty rolls. We do too. We're planning on using them for our pulled pork. Un abbraccio forte forte!!
Alisha Pratt
Thank you for the recipe! I have a 3-slot bread pan with each slot measuring 3"x3"x12". Is this recipe enough to fill all 3 slots, or should I adjust it? Thank you again, I am looking forward to a Chicago Italian Beef in Michigan!
John Porrello
I have 2 questions Can you use King Arthur bread flour and if so what difference do you think it will have
Can you leave the starter out on the counter overnight and will that change anything
Thank You
Marisa Franca
Hello, John! Yes, you may use the KA bread flour - the dough will be a bit tougher because of the gluten but it will still be good. As far as the biga goes, it's best if you retard the rise by putting it in the fridge overnight. The biga will rise and more than likely collapse if it sits on the counter for that many hours. You may not get that nice rise in the bread itself. You can try it but I can't guarantee the results. Hope I've answered your questions satisfactorily. Happy Baking. Let me know how you like the bread.
Pam
Wonderful flavor and perfect rolls to stand up to french dip or Italian sausage sandwiches. The extra time this recipe takes is well worth it in flavor and texture. perfect sandwich rolls!
Marisa Franca
Thank you for your sweet comment, Pam. Hope you're having a wonderful spring so far. xoxo
Diane
So many great reviews. I don’t know how, but I managed to screw this up. I followed the recipe to the letter. All the rises went well, the consistency of the dough was correct all the way through. I got flat, (flatter than ciabatta). The crust was hard and brittle. Zero chewiness. The inside was dense, they were only about an inch tall. The flavor was yeasty.
Where did I go wrong?
Marisa Franca
Hi, Diane! It sounds like your yeast was active so that shouldn't have been the problem. What I would guess is that you let the dough rise too much. By the time the dough reached the oven the strength of the yeast had petered out. I hope you give it another try. Depending on the heat of your kitchen, the dough could rise faster so you can't always rely on the time of rising. Let me know how it goes.
denise
after you shape the dough for final rise, slash it right then, don't wait. After it rises to mostly double, egg wash and bake. I use this recipe all the time, always have some in my freezer, great for french dips or any time you need crusty bread.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Denise, for your suggestion! We're due to make more sandwich rolls soon - we'll try your method. xoxo
Drew458
This is an interesting recipe. A biga adds flavor, but it also makes plenty more yeast all by itself. I made a standard biga at about 65% hydration, using your amount of yeast, which is about double what's needed, and left it covered on the counter for 16 hours. That's what you do with a classic biga. If it's retarded too much about all you're doing is an extended autolyze, soft dough but not enough flavor. All that freshly made yeast cuts the rise time down by at least half, and you don't have to add any yeast to the rest of the dough. But your recipe does. Using SAF instant (red) yeast as specified, I added the amount called for; and it became "rocket bread": once kneaded, it doubles in size in about 20 minutes. So I punched it down and let it come up again, then made 80gm rolls from it ( ~12 ), letting them come up for a third rise before baking. The result is pretty good.
Also, when combining the biga with the rest of the recipe, if you add most of the water to the biga and mix that gently first, then you don't have to chop it up, hopefully keeping some of the gluten strands whole. It softens up a lot, and then the rest of the flour incorporates easily. I tried for an overall 60% hydration, which is also fairly standard for Italian bread. This works out to192gm water each for the biga and the other part of the dough.
I made it again just for fun, and used 20% whole wheat flour for a bit earthier flavor. This worked just fine too.
Marisa Franca
Hi Drew! Thank you for your tips -- love hearing from breadlovers! We do like to experiment. Keep in touch with your other bread baking adventures. Happy Baking!!
James
The method and ingredients work. My wife doesn’t want me to buy rolls anymore.
Marisa Franca
Hello James! That's good to hear. You couldn't get a better compliment than that. Now you have your work set out for you. Happy Baking!!
Erin
I am trying this recipe this week and had a couple of questions. I tried a recipe for "German hard rolls" and they were okay but really lacked the flavor I was going for so I think the overnight fermentation may be what I'm looking for.
My first question is regarding how long I can leave this in the fridge. There's only 2 of us so I was planning to make som hoagie sizes, some round rolls, and some dinner size rolls so I can use them for a couple different meals this week. I was hoping to bake the dinner rolls first then do the sandwich sizes the next day for a different dinner. Am I able to proceed with Day 2 (adding the starter to the recipe) and form them and put the sandwich sizes in the fridge to bake the next day? They will be eaten that day and the next so I'd prefer them fresher and I don't have a ton of freezer room.
Second question, do you have any idea how many ounces of dough each roll should be? I've seen alot of conflicting figures and I know bread losses some weigh during the baking process so I don't think it's super accurate to compare to any rolls I have in my freezer. I'm really just trying to learn more here. Most rolls I make turn out way too large/doughy.
Thank you in advance, I am really excited to give this a try.
Marisa Franca
Hello, Erin! First question: You can hold off baking all the dough. The dough you're NOT going to use, refrigerate right after mixing. With the dough you will use proceed as with the recipe. I wouldn't go beyond the second day. The dough may rise unevenly.
Second question: From what I gather you want to make 3 different shapes from the one recipe. The dinner rolls we make at 2 ounces. The hoagie rolls we measure out 5 1/2 oz. and for the sandwich rolls around 4-5 oz.
I have formed some breads and put them in the fridge overnight to rise and then baked the following day. I haven't tried it with this recipe. The recipe I did it with had more yeast in it. You could experiment but I can't guarantee the success of the rolls. Let me know what you do and how it turns out. Happy baking.
Erin
First off I want to thank you for such a prompt response and for the advice. I also want to thank you for the recipe. These turned out fantastic! It was hands down the best bread to come out of my oven and was almost exactly like the rolls I buy from our local Italian bakery.
I normally use recipes as a guideline when cooking but baking is completely different. I bake tons of desserts but I'm new to bread baking and it didn't really interest me too much until I found this recipe. It was my first time working with a biga so I did a ton of research to learn more. I've also never retarded dough before so I wanted to learn more about that.
I followed your advice and portioned out 6 ounces of the finished dough for my dinner rolls and immediately refrigerated the dough I was using the next day for sandwiches. The dinner rolls came out great and the dough in the fridge rose beautifully overnight. The next day, I let the dough come to room temp for 45 mins or so before I shaped my sandwich rolls. I was worried they wouldn't puff up and gave them about an hour and a half proofing time. They puffed up nicely. I ended up making 3.15 ounce round rolls which turned out to be a bit small, 4.15 ounce long rolls, and 2 rectangle/square (ciabatta shape) rolls that were 3.95 ounces. They baked up wonderfully and taste amazing.
You have defiantly got me interested in using these types of processes in the future and learning more about them. I may experiment with doing the bulk fermentation of the finished dough at room temp then refrigerating the shaped rolls but I'll look into it a little more first. I think I will try your ciabatta bread next! I posted my pictures of the rolls on Pinterest. Thank you so much again!
Saundra
I don't have a dough hook for my mixer, lost it somehow. Can I hand knead the dough?
Marisa Franca
Hello, Saundra! Absolutely! What a good upper body workout. I think I need to hide my dough hook and get to working on my upper body strength. Let me know how it goes. xoxo
Rosemary
Ok....I am one who has always tinkered with recipes. My late father-in-law would get soooo mad at me when I changed up his recipe but then would compliment me on the change. We LOVED this recipe and we usually have burgers on Saturday so I decided to switch up our usual hamburger bun recipe. I added 1/4 of the biga to my recipe, (still used steam in the oven) and oh WOW! Still soft (I covered the finished product with a towel for 15 minutes to ‘steam’ finish). A burger with a taste! We now have a partially Italian hamburger bun! Thank you for your recipe and we still enjoy baking this bread weekly. It has now become a regular since we started the ‘stay at home’ and I do not think I can get out of it now! 😂😂😂
Marisa Franca
Good for you, Rosemary!! We like to tinker with recipes too. I'm so glad you're liking the recipe. It's really hard to go back to store-bought when you sample homemade, right!! Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. xoxo
Rosemary
So....as a novice, I should not be disappointed if there is not perfection all the time? Just asking....
Rosemary
At what point do you freeze the biga? After 3 hours or after overnight in the fridge?
Marisa Franca
Hi, Rosemary. After overnight in the fridge is the best. Then when you're ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and let it get active. Let me know how it goes. xoxo
Rosemary
Good morning. I used 1/2 of the biga and made 1 loaf of bread yesterday. I was a little disappointed in the size but the taste was awesome. I guess I was expecting a larger loaf given the # of rolls that the recipe would have made. Oh well....I made a fresh biga afterwards using the exact same recipe and I noticed this morning that it is a lot more spongier looking (if that is a word).I will half it soon and freeze for the next time. I will use yesterday’s biga in the next recipe and see if it comes out any different. Thanks!
Marisa Franca
Thank you for letting me know how it's going. Every loaf of bread/rolls always are an adventure to see how they turn out. I'm excited to see how this one turns out.
Chef Potpie
I wish the star rating would work, as I want to give this 5 stars! (Or even 10!) I have been dabbling with making bread for a couple years and not having much success until I realized that my oven was not even coming close to the correct temperatures. I bought a new one, and although it is an electric oven, I have had some success if I keep a close eye on my in-oven thermometer. This recipe! I am so pleased! After much researching I decided to take a chance and halve the recipe, (it's just my husband and I these days), I had to leave my biga in the fridge for two days because "life" happened. Today I made 8 rolls. They are just what we have been hoping for. Perfectly chewy on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside, tasted so good with butter, warm out of the oven, we didn't feel the need to eat much dinner tonight! Thank you for a wonderful recipe that will be the PERFECT bread for hoagies next time! I can hardly wait!
Marisa Franca
Hello Chef! I am so please that you liked the rolls. About the stars - I will get my tech person seeing why they aren't working. In the meantime, I so glad you're a happy Chef Baker. xoxo
Laurel (Chef Potpie)
There, the stars are working now! I forgot to ask when leaving my review above: You mentioned to another reviewer that the biga could be frozen up to 3 months. How do I go about doing that? The thought of having this wonderful bread without all the planning ahead is just irresistible to me! Thanks!
Laurel - (Chef Potpie)
Marisa Franca
Well, Laurel, just go ahead and freeze it in a container or freezer bag. Then let it thaw out completely and let it come to room temperature then use it as you normally would. Let me know how you're doing.
Laurel Johnson
It's been awhile now, and I wanted you to know that I now always have your biga in my freezer, half recipe, I make 8 rolls at a time. (We used to have a bag of the Rhodes artisan rolls in our freezer always until your wonderful recipe!) Now, because it's just the two of us, I make 8 rolls at a time, freeze them in a zipper bag, pull out a couple and throw them right onto the rack of the oven at 400F for about 9 minutes, and OH MY GOODNESS! Needless to say we never buy those bagged rolls anymore. You are our hero. We are very happy bread people now!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Laurel!! Thank you so much for your sweet comment. I'm so glad you and your Hubby can enjoy the fresh rolls when the mood strikes. Nothing like fresh bread in the house, right?! Please keep in touch and let me know how you're doing and what you're up to. xoxo
Rita
I was wondering if the bugs can stay in the refrigerator longer than overnight? I made it tonight with the intention of making the rolls tomorrow but something unexpected occurred and I will not be able to do them tomorrow. If I leave the bugs in the refrigerator for one more day can I still use it or do I have to start again? Thank you!
Marisa Franca
Hello, Rita. You should be able to keep biga in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 3 months. Happy baking!! Let me know how they turn out. xoxo
Charles
Why do people comment Fist make them then comment. Great little Italian heros I shaped them into 4 loafs for hero sandwiches . I sprinkled with Sesame seeds and baked. Came out great. Biga is also called a Sour Dough Starter Wish you had a way to share photos Thanks for the recipe. Picked up some fresh Board Head cold cuts to make New York Deli Style sandwich
Marisa Franca
Hello Charles! Glad you liked the rolls. Making a starter really does enhance the flavor of the bread, doesn't it? I'm not familiar with a New York Deli Style Sandwich. What do you put in it? I'm sure the other readers would love to know. Perhaps one of these days I'll have a way for you to share a photo. Happy Baking!!
Rick
Great recipe. It was a lot of fun to make while we shelter-in-place. I didn't try to shape the rolls before I baked them, but now that they're done, and they are all different shapes and sizes, I am wondering to what extent I can "roll" them and shape them into torpedoes.
Marisa Franca
Hi Rick! This recipe is a lot of fun to work with. You shouldn't have any problem at all forming them into torpedoes. I'd love to see a photo of them when you make them. Happy baking.
Karen
Very tasty rolls. I skipped the egg wash, although I’m second guessing that now. I did steam the oven. I wanted more than six rolls, so I increased the second half of the recipe by 50%, except for the yeast, and I threw in my sourdough discard for the day. The flavor is fantastic. They were not quite as fluffy on the inside as I was hoping for. I don’t know if that was me or the recipe, but they are still nice and soft inside with a nice crust.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Karen! It could be the sourdough kept them from getting as soft as you wanted. I always like to try a recipe as is the first time and then experiment the next time. The egg wash does give the outside a nice sheen and a better finish. I'm glad you liked the recipe. xoxo
Veena Azmanov
A check on this recipe for my kids party for sure. Looks delicious and crusty.
Prestine
What a fabulous recipe. Made them for meatball subs. Easy recipe to follow. Thank you for it. Added myself to your mailing list.
Take care
Marisa Franca
Hello, Prestine! Thank you for your sweet comment! We're so glad you like the recipe and we love having you as a new subscriber. We appreciate and love our readers. Have a wonderful day!!xoxo
loretta rose
If you want true crusty delicious rolls with tender but substantial interior, this is the recipe to use! They are amazing!!! Thank you so much for publishing this recipe!
Marisa Franca
Thank you for much for your sweet comment. We really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Loretta! xoxo
Jennifer
Marisa,
I am so excited about this recipe as I have struggled for years with finding bread for my Italian Beef Sandwiches here in Nashville. I have one question. I don't have unbleached flour because I wasn't paying attention when I grabbed the flour at the store. Does that matter too much?
Marisa Franca
Hi, Jennifer! You'll be okay with the bleached. We just use the unbleached because we find it's better. Let me know how it turns out. Happy Baking!
Stephanie Gill
Would it be possible to skip the refrigeration if I am trying to cut down the time? So could I make the biga, let it stand at room temp for 3 hours and then jump right to Step 3?
Marisa Franca
The delay helps in the taste of the bread. You could go ahead and make it but it won't be as good.
c.
I have not made this particular recipe, but my English muffin recipe has very similar instructions (8 hours for starter, make dough and rise overnight). On days when I skip the long ferment due to time constraints, I can really taste the flavor difference. Without it, you're going to get something more like ordinary sandwich bread.
Stephanie
Would it be possible to skip the refrigeration if I am trying to cut down the time? So could I make the biga, let it stand at room temp for 3 hours and then jump right to Step 3?
Marisa Franca
I'm sorry but delaying the time helps in the taste and texture of the bread.
Natalie
Thank you for this recipe! If I need to make the bread in a crunch, and can't wait overnight, what would the minimum amount of time you would suggest for the bigga to rest beyond the 3 hours?
Marisa Franca
Hi, Natalie! The resting time is important for the flavor. We've always let it sit in the fridge overnight. If you made the bread in the morning, let it sit for 3 hours, then give it an additional 3-4 hours in the fridge. That would slow down the process somewhat. What are you going to use the rolls for? We have a recipe for onion buns I could send you that is a quicker version than the crusty Italian Rolls. Just let me know.
Natalie
Hi Marisa! Thank you for your reply! I was able to get the bigga made in enough time to let it sit overnight, and I am so glad that I did. I am using the bins for beef dip sandwiches - something that will hold up to being dipped in hot beef consume. These buns are perfect! But, since you mention onion bins (be still my tastebuds), I would love your recipe. I am so glad I came across your site!
Natalie
Also, are the "cups" in your recipes US or British/Canadian cups? My scale has broken.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Natalie! I would be using the US measure - Oh, poor you! We've become so dependent on our scale. It sure is easier to just dump and weigh, isn' it?
Marisa Franca
That's wonderful, Natalie. Those buns will hold up to the beef dip sandwiches. I'll write out the onion buns recipe and send it to you. We never had a chance to but it on the blog -- but it sounds like a good idea. The buns are really good. Hope it's not as cold where you are as it is here.
Polly
Thank you so much for the story and great recipe! It encouraged me to give it a shot, and I have been having such a great time! The recipe is adaptable and so forgiving. For example, after making exactly as you described a few times, I changed it up and added multi-grains (oat and whole wheat). I had no room in the fridge, so I kept the biga out on the counter overnight. It worked out fine! Another time, I needed more than a few loaves, so I took 1/2 the biga and made 1 batch in the mixer. Used the other 1/2 and made another batch. Got 8 tasty loaves, no problem!
Yes, we freeze loaves, and enjoy this recipe with excellent results.
Marisa Franca
Thank you for your sweet comment, Polly!???? I'm so glad the recipe worked out for you. And yes, isn't it fun to experiment with different flours and grains? I bet you've made some delicious loaves for Thanksgiving!! Hope you have a wonderful day. Sending a big ????
Polly
Thanksgiving is such a great foodie holiday! We enjoyed our feast and included the multigrain loaves at our table. Got lots of compliments when I said the bread, too, was homemade. 🙂
Sending a big hug back, and wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season. 😀
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
Haha. Your dad had the right idea. Commercial bread is garbage!! Homemade all the way. Yours looks amazing!
michelle
I can't say no to good crusty bread with fresh butter, sometimes i'll eat more of it than my meal!
Melissa
Oh I need to make these, you would save me from so many disappointing grocery store visits where they haven't got any left! My hubby and I both enjoy a good panini with quality cold cuts!
Catherine
Your sandwich rolls look beautiful, Marisa! Nothing is better than fresh bread...the whole process is so relaxing. I have to try making my own rolls soon! XOXO
Veena Azmanov
I Love homemade bread but don't always have the time to do it. This sounds so delicious. I can almost hear the crisp bread sound. Love crusty bread especially with soups and stews. Would be perfect for the cold weather comfort foods.
Alexis
Bread making is my nemesis, I can't ever seem to get them to rise and be fluffy inside. I'll give this recipe a try though, maybe I'll finally be successful.
Lauren Vavala
These look just like the rolls we used to get from our local deli growing up! My dad was a "bread man" for so long that we are a bit particular about our rolls and these would definitely be loved!
Jyothi (Jo)
Baking bread is so therapeutic and I love baking bread more than anything else. A perfect crust that wont hurt your mouth , that's how I love to have my bread. Love all your tips for baking
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Jo!! I love to bake bread and the result is so rewarding!!
kyl
you and your bread posts are killing me!! I have tried to cut back on bread, but .... well now I've seen this, that idea is.... toast?! lol
Marisa Franca
Love the double entendre, Kyl!! ????
Valerie
I love the taste, smell and texture of freshly baked bread. These rolls would be great for our favorite sandwiches, including cold cuts, meatballs and cheesesteak.
Claudia Lamascolo
I love a great crusty Italian sandwich roll and bread . We are bread aholics. Bread is a must with out meal and this is awesome!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Claudia! I know how bread tempts our willpower. We do try to hurry and freeze it so it's out of sight.
Mindy Ambrose
Can you freeze these?
Marisa Franca
Hi, Mindy! Yes!! They freeze beautifully. We let them cool. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then we put them in a freezer bag and try to get as much air out of the sack as possible. When you're ready to eat them, put the frozen loaf in an unheated oven and set at 300 F. and when the oven reaches the temp they should be ready to eat. Every oven is different so you may have to check but we've had great luck with that method. They taste just like you made them.
Stacey Felice
I'm printing this to make for Thanksgiving. These look amazing.
Marisa Franca
Your dinner guests will love them, I'm sure!!
Wendy
I just finished making this recipe tonight and it was definitely a hit. The outside was crusty, and the inside was soft and delicious, cooked to golden brown perfection. The only thing I will note is that next time I make this bread, I will divide the dough into eight sandwhich rolls since the six were quite large. Also for those individuals that didn’t get the crispy crust, I’d like to suggest you increase the water to two cups in your steam pan. Since steam is what makes the bread crispy, increasing the water in the pan will cause more steam to create that delicious crispy exterior. This is a wonderful recipe, and one I will use years to come.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Wendy!! Thank you so much for your poitive feedback. And I will add the extra cup of water for the steam. I think that may also depend on the size steampan you use. Ours isn't that big - but it is a good idea to have extra. We do love making bread -- have you tried the breadsticks? Sending a big thank-you hug!!
Carol
I started this bread biga last night! Is the biga sopposed to double? Mine did not double.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Carol!! We're so glad you're making the rolls. No, you don't have to have the biga double. Just let it sit out 3 hours before putting it in the fridge. Then in the morning take it out. It should warm at least 1 hour before starting the rest of the bread. This adds to the flavor of the bread and it gives it an additional start. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!! We love to bake bread.
Gloria
OK...so I am such a BREAD LOVER.....this is right up my alley. Nothing better than the smell of bread baking...other than slathering it in butter and eating it. I would be in heaven with this....I LOVE BREAD!!
Marisa Franca
We're big fans of bread too, Gloria!! Now we also like dunking it in some great tasting olive oil with herbs in it. I'm making myself hungry just talking about it. Happy Sunday!!
Veena Azmanov
I LOVE making bread! I could live on bread alone if my waist would let me. In fact, I make some awesome bread but have had to reduce my bread making because I eat too much bread. This bread makes me wanna go to the kitchen and try it now..!! Love such rustic loaves.
Nicole
Mmmm. I want these. I love baking my own bread and I love these Crusty Italian Sandwich rolls. They look pretty simple and I bet they were incredible!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Nicole! There is nothing like homemade bread! The rolls are easy to make -- we hope you give them a try.xoxo
Megan Marlowe
Bread is my weakness, especially a delicious crusty Italian roll. You can use them in so many ways they're absolutely perfect for any occasion. I did not grow up with homemade bread and neither do my kids. I'm afraid if I make these for them, there's no turning back, LOL! But make these, I must!
Marisa Franca
I know what you mean, Megan. Homemade bread is what our kids and grandkids want. ????
Dana Sandonato
Girrrrrl. These are stunning. I love me some homemade bread, but I've never separated my dough to make several rolls. I've been wanting to, but I think because I've only ever baked one specific bread recipe before, I'm afraid to mess up the dough. I'm totally going to give this a whirl in the next few weeks. I'm so glad you provided process photos! Thank you!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Dana! Bread is really forgiving. Make rolls out of your favorite bread recipe. ????
Amy
I couldn't agree more - homemade bread and rolls vastly surpass the store-bought mass produced variety. These rolls look amazing and I'm pinning this so I can try this recipe later. I love to bake bread but I have never made sandwich rolls before so this will be a fun challenge!
Marisa Franca
Hello, Amy! Making sandwich rolls are really a lot of fun to make. You'll love them. xoxo
Amanda
These are some GORGEOUS sandwich rolls, Marisa! I would love to layer one with grilled veggies, pesto, and shaved ricotta salata, or some of our favorite Italian meats and cheeses. It's breakfast time and I want a lunch sandwich immediately! 🙂 I love that you shared your memories of your first taste of commercial white bread--great, fresh Italian bread is another world entirely!
Marisa Franca
Oh Lordy, Amanda! You're making me hungry just thinking of your combinations. ❤️
Sarah
Lol.. your store-bought bread story is hilarious! I'm not much of a baker, but I do LOVE homemade bread!! I need to try this and eat better bread 😀
Marisa Franca
Hi, Sarah! We love our homemade bread too. It is such a temptation that we freeze it as soon as we can. Although, we do have to do a quality control slice. ????
Carmy @ carmyy.com
LOL! I'm dying over the tasteless bread story! Some of the store bought ones are definitely not as good as homemade bread - I've had my share of plain tasteless white bread. This recipe for your homemade styled one looks delicious - I'll have to try and make this for my next batch of bread!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Carmy!! My papà sure knew what he liked and didn't like. He let it be known. ????Happy bread baking! One of my favorite activities. Have a good weekend. xoxo
Tina
I am so excited about this, I once used a two-day pizza dough recipe that made the taste and texture fantastic! Definitely saving this for later. It looks like this will be my new go-to recipe for bread. Thanks for sharing your family recipe.
Marisa Franca
You're welcome, Tina! You know, I had a person berate me once saying that no true Italian would give out a family recipe. Well, I think that is a bunch of phooey!! Recipes should be shared.
Marlene
How many days can the Biga stay in fridge ?
Marisa Franca
Hello, Marlene! Pre-Ferments like a Biga will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months. I'd love to know how it turns out.
Gloria
HAHAHA....your story made me laugh...and I know EXACTLY the bread you are talking about. Baba always made bread....and that aroma as it bakes is so wonderful. These look like the perfect sandwich buns....but I would even make garlic bread out of these. That is what I do sometimes when I only need to make a few slices. Works great!!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Gloria!! Yep! our mammas and nonnas sure knew how to make the good stuff. They made the best recipes. ❤️
Marisa Franca
Hi, Gloria!! Yep! our mammas and nonnas sure knew how to make the good stuff. They made the best recipes. ❤️
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
What a lovely memory of home baked bread as a youth. The only home baked breads we had were when my grandmother would make dinner rolls (a treat). Though my Mom never bought Wonder bread, we had similar , spongy, flavorless loaves. When I'm splurging on bread, I usually look for a good bakery, but I think it would be fun to make my own. This recipe sounds like a great place to start -- and those Italian rolls look SO good!
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Lisa! Fresh bread right out of the oven is soooo good. Have a great day.
Cody
I just recently got into bread making. This recipe sounds amazing.
Shawn
What would be the longest you would recommend letting the biga sit at room temperature after a night in the fridge? I'm contemplating leaving it out when I go to work so I can get right to it when I get home in the afternoon.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Shawn! I wouldn't go much over the 1 hour that it states. It may lose some of its rising power. If you take the biga out right when you get home, put it someplace that's fairly warm -- an oven with just the light on--that will add some nice warmth. Get the rest of your ingredients together and then your biga would be ready. Let me know how it goes -- nothing like great tasting bread.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
We all love a good crusty roll and your look fabulous. I am such a big bread lover that I can just live on bread. I would love to try this recipe and hopefully could end up baking something as good as yours or at least close.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Sandhya! There is nothing like homemade bread! It goes great with everything.
John Williams
Can you use a bread mechine to make these rolls
Marisa Franca
Hi, John! I don't use a bread machine so I can't be certain. You could try to mix and let rise. Once they reach the forming stage you could follow the regular recipe. I know we've made bread machine recipes only doing it with a mixer and then by hand. I wish I could be more definitive. If you decide to give it a try let me know how it worked out for you.
Marilyn
If you make only 6 rolls out of this recipe they are much too big, heavy, doughy. I'd suggest at least 8 maybe 10 "torpedos"
Marisa Franca
Hello, Marilyn! Thank you for the suggestion.
Samantha Hill
This was my first time making home made bread. I just want to start out by saying this bread was delicious. I say was because my family ate it all in one day! My only complaint was that it didn't really come out crispy like I had hoped. I'm sure this was my fault, as I consider myself an ameture baker. Overall this stuff is so delicious!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Samantha! We're glad that the rolls tasted good but I'm sorry that they didn't turn out with a crispy crust. Yes! Sometimes even we have a problem with that. The moisture content in the rolls with sometimes be more or even the humidity will factor in. If the rolls are done and do have a crispy crust when they come out of the oven but they get soft as they cool, just pop them in a hot oven for a few minutes to get the crisp back. We bought bread at high-end bakeries where that happens and the solution is to put them back in the oven for a few minutes. I hope you keep trying with your bread baking. Believe me, we've had duds before but they still tasted good.
KariAnne
Where have these been all my life?
Seriously?
I am going to try these and I'll keep you posted!
Happy day friend!
karianne
Marisa Franca
Thank you for stopping by! Wish I had a cup of coffee for you or some sweet tea. I'd love to run over and bring you some of those loaves 🙂
Scott (bbqlikeitshot)
Based on the comments it doesn't look like anyone has actually followed through with the recipe? Shame.
I'm currently on step 5. Have left the dough covered on the bench while I head out for a few hours.
The rolls should be ready for a late lunch, I'm thinking bacon and egg rolls.
I'll let you know how they go.
Marisa Franca
I anxious to hear how you like them. In fact we like the dough so well we make baguettes out of it too. Since we posted the recipe we've made it several times and our kids and grandkids are thrilled with the results. We love the bread so much we hurry up and freeze it because we'd be tempted to eat and eat and eat 🙂
Scott (bbqlikeitshot)
Hey - they were okay. Mine obviously didn't come out as fantastic looking as your photos did. I need a bit of practice in shaping etc. I feel that they could have done longer than 20 minutes in the oven to get better colouring, even though they got to 90°C in the center,
They were okay tasting, nothing that shouted out fantastic. I'll give them another couple goes and let you know if I improve in executing the recipe.
Thanks for sharing.
Marisa Franca
Hi Scott! I wrote to your email address but I'll say here basically what I told you. We look at how the bread/rolls appear before we remove them from the oven. Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes it takes less time. Every oven is different. If you use the steam method you'll get a different result than if you decide just to bake. I also mentioned that I do use a high quality flour. We exclusively use the King Arthur brand unless we are using our Italian "00" flour. We'd like for you to get good results so if you have ANY questions whatsoever please ask and we'll try to answer. Oh! I must admit I've made my share of so-so breads. I'll have to tell the story sometime on a post.
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy
What a great recipe for crusty Italian bread. definitely pinning this one to save for later. Your bread reminds me of my trip to Italy few years ago and all the wonderful goodies I ate there. Great recipe!
Marisa Franca
I'm glad you had enjoy Italy. It is such a special place. It holds my heart. Thank you for commenting.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
"And it certainly won’t injure the roof of your mouth with too crisp of a crust nor will it take ages to chew and swallow." I think I love you. This is the problem with many Italian crusty rolls sold in Australia. OMG, I love knowing that this is a real recipe I can trust!! Pinning so I don't lose it! N x
Wendi
Boy oh BOY! These look TERRIFIC. I am JUST TERRIBLE at making all kinds of breads - except at one time I had a starter for some bread and that was always fool proof - but otherwise, I'm no good at breads. I think part of the problem has been the temp of the water for the yeast - thank you for including the actual temp that the water should be. I'm going to give your bread a go! (I can't resist - they look so delicious!). Thanks for sharing!
Marisa Franca
I have a tip for you -- use Instant yeast it is very forgiving!! Also, when it says that the dough should double in size and it is so much earlier than the time it said?? Forget about the time and take the actual doubling. If you need any help just write and we'll try to get the bread you want. My heavens -- bread is a gift of the gods!! I have yet to be able to wait the entire amount of time they say to wait before I can sample. After all, isn't it our duty to do quality control 😉
Kelly Hutchinson
I love a crunchy, crusty sandwich roll. I need to get myself a good mixer so I can make this recipe.
Marisa Franca
How good are your biceps??? 🙂 You can make this by hand but I have to admit it is easier with a mixer.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
I have to get a copy of The Breadmakers Apprentice, every time I see it mentioned people are so positive about it.
Lovely bread, we make our own nearly all the time too, so much nicer.
Marisa Franca
It's great and I have a funny story to share sometime soon.
Joy @ Joy Love Food
This sandwich rolls look so good, I love that nice, crusty exterior!
Marisa Franca
Thank you! It is really a great recipe and if you want you can just make loaves out of the dough :-).
Chris @ SimpleFood365
What a great story! We love homemade bread here and would always prefer to make it than buy it! The pictures make my mouth water! Okay, I think we ned to bake break this weekend! Thanks for sharing a great recipe and story!
Marisa Franca
Thank you!! I love being in the kitchen and baking. For me it is relaxing and what a benefit at the end?? I have yet to let it rest for the allowed time 🙂
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
These look so perfect, you can't beat a nice crusty roll. I bet these make fantastic sandwiches!
Marisa Franca
The sandwiches are fantastic!
Sarah
A chunk of this and a bowl of soup would be absolute heaven!
Marisa Franca
I just ate some with Chicken Minestrone. Divine!!!!
Tina Marie
I can smell that wonderful bread baking right now! I could go for a slice with some nice sweet cream butter. Yum!
Marisa Franca
I'm right with you! Bread and butter is just the right comfort food 🙂
Claudia | Gourmet Project
want want waaaaaant! must try this bread rolls asap!
Marisa Franca
Let me know how you like the recipe. For us, it was easy and results were fantastic!
annie@ciaochowbambina
I can't even tell you how excited I am to see this recipe! I've always wanted to make authentic Italian bread and I think you have given me the nudge I need! These loaves are gorgeous! My hubby will be so happy! I loved reading your anecdote about tasting your first piece of sliced bread...hysterical!
Marisa Franca
If you have any questions at ALL just give me a quick email. I will answer back ASAP. We love making bread!! Try out the grissini they are fun to make and oh so good. Our boys love to dip them in hot cheese sauce. Well, to tell you the truth they love dipping anything in spicy cheese sauce 🙂
Leslie @ Bessie Bakes
This is a great bread recipe Marisa! Pre-fermentation (making a biga or other pre-ferments) is so important for flavor development. I also have The Bread Baker's Apprentice. It was my first bread-baking book too! Another great bread baking book is called "Bread" by Jeffrey Hamelman. He was one of my teachers in my artisan bread- baking course and he runs The King Arthur Bakery in Vermont. It's a great read for those of us who love baking bread!! Nice job on your scoring, the loaves are shaped beautifully:)
Marisa Franca
I have the Hamelman book as well as another one you might like -- The Bread Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Parts of it reads a little bit more complicated per her instructions but it is a great book -- That is the one that inspired the "The Stud Muffin".
Chiara
Marisa sono splendidi, complimenti ! Un bacione
Diane P.
Marisa, your bread recipes are always wonderful! Can't wait to try this one.......
Rosemary @anitalianinmykitchen
Marisa, I love homemade bread and these look amazing (great photos), I want to grab one and make a sandwich, any sandwich or even eat it as is. Wonderful recipe.
Marisa Franca
Thank you Rosemary! We are bread eaters -- but we have to limit ourselves 🙂 So our kids and grandkids get lots of homemade breads.
David
What does it mean "roll to coat"?
Marisa Franca
Hi David! Do you mean "turn to coat?" I use this term when you put the dough in a large bowl or bucket to rise. The bowl or rising bucket is oiled and I turn or you could say "roll" so that the exterior of the dough has oil on it. Does that explain it? Happy baking.
Jovina Coughlin
Do they ever look delicious Marisa. You rolls look very much like the rolls my father would get at the Italian store on Saturday morning when I was young. Did they ever make delicious sandwiches. will add this to my list of breads to make next.
Marisa Franca
Thank you Jovina -- papà would have liked them. Nice part about these rolls is you can make them whatever size you like.