Bacon Knots

Ingredients

• 7.9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 ¾ cup)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dry yeast
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon water
• 5 slices bacon
• 15 basil leaves (roughly chopped)
• 1 egg yolk (beaten, optional)

Instructions

1. 1
   Mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast together in a bowl to combine.
2. 2
   Add the water and knead until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball (about 5 minutes).
3. 3
   Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
4. 4
   When the dough has risen, punch it down and then divide it into 5 even pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place on a non-stick surface such as parchment paper. Cover with a damp towel and leave in a warm place to rice for 30 minutes.
5. 5
   Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a long piece.
6. 6
   Fold the sides of the dough over towards the center to make a long rectangle and then roll out into a 8-inch x 4-inch rectangle.
7. 7
   Place a piece of bacon in the center of the dough, trimming any excess bacon off and then sprinkle some basil on top.
8. 8
   Fold the sides over the to the center and then pinch to seal the dough. Pinch the ends to entirely seal the bacon in.
9. 9
   Transfer the log onto a parchment lined baking sheet and then use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to add 4 slices into the log at a 45-degree angle. You'll need to cut almost all the way through, in order to get a nice shape.
10. 10
    Offset each segment of dough. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes in a warm place.
11. 11
    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
12. 12
    If you want the bacon knots to be shiny, brush the tops of them with the beaten egg yolk.