By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 10
185 cal · 180 min
The Italian Baker's Semelle Rolls
Recipe GLPRac370d5b96b93d
These crusty artisanal rolls, inspired by Italian baking traditions, feature a simple dough of flour, water, and yeast that develops wonderful flavor and texture through a long fermentation. Each roll is brushed with olive oil and baked until golden and crispy outside while remaining tender within. Perfect for serving with soup, stew, or alongside a meal.
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Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil for brushing
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water with the active dry yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is foamy and activated.
Add the unbleached all-purpose flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring all flour is incorporated.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand on a floured surface, or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 8 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and allow it to rise at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently deflate it. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into an oblong or oval roll. Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each roll.
Cover the shaped rolls with a damp cloth and let them rise for 30 minutes at room temperature until they are puffy and light.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Using a sharp knife or lame, make shallow diagonal slashes across the top of each roll.
Brush the top of each roll generously with olive oil.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool before serving.
Comments
Semelle rolls are a Charlotte-friendly baker's project with ingredients every grocery in the region stocks without a second thought: all five components live at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger. The stated three hours is honest for rise time and shaping, though a new baker should expect closer to four with resting periods; the actual hands-on work is brief. Cost per roll lands around 30 cents, driven only by flour and yeast—genuinely cheap. The one caveat is that these are same-night eaters; they stale noticeably after a day and do not reheat into tenderness, so plan to serve them warm from the oven and within hours of baking.
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