French Hoagie Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 cup water
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Steps

1. Combine yeast with tepid but not warm water and let sit until convinced the yeast isn't dead, 10 minutes maximum.
2. In a large bowl, combine most of the flour, oil and salt, add the water/yeast, and stir/add flour until the ball pulls away from the bowl.
3. Sprinkle flour over a kneading surface and over the ball, and knead for about 7 minutes.
4. Lightly oil a bowl and allow to rise until doubled, usually about 50-60 minutes if in a barely warm place.
5. Punch down the dough, divide into quarters, and shape into 4 hoagies roughly 6" x 3.5" or so. Allow to rise for 20 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven at 425, with a baking stone in the center rack and a ceramic dish on the bottom while the bread rises.
7. Transfer the rolls to the stone, return the stone to the center rack, and turn the heat down to 375.
8. For each of the first 4 minutes baking, toss a dash of water across the bottom of the ceramic dish to create steam.
9. The rolls should be medium brown and more than doubled in height within 29-30 minutes.