Make Ahead

Lapadia's Ridiculous Ham & Cheese Rolls

by:
October 18, 2011
5
1 Ratings
  • Makes 6 very large rolls and can easily be made into 12 smaller rolls
Author Notes

This savory ham & cheese treat is delicious and satisfying any time, hot from the oven in the morning, to lunch at room temperature and even the next day out of a cooler, they travel well.

The recipe is a savory take on my Cherry-Almond Cinnamon buns (found onsite) that follow a sticky bun technique = placing prepared raw buns over a syrup before baking and inverting; instead, however, these raw savories are placed over melted butter, cheese, finely minced sweet red peppers and scallions to accentuate the savory flavor.
lapadia

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Ingredients
  • DOUGH – WET INGREDIENTS
  • In a 2 cup measure, stir to combine the following ingredients:
  • 1/3 cup dry powdered milk
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons butter - melted
  • 1 egg – lightly beaten
  • DOUGH – DRY INGREDIENTS
  • In the work bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine:
  • 2-3/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 packet Rapid Rise yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or (optional) 1 teaspoon Diastatic Malt Powder - I order mine from King Arthur
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary (preferred)
  • OR 1 teaspoon dry rosemary and the salt (below), crushed together in a mortar and pestle
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • BUN & FILLING INGREDIENTS
  • Prepare the filling ingredients and set aside until ready to assemble the roll
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced Black Forest Ham. Note: enough to cover a 9x12 raw dough rectangle
  • NOTE: Combine the following cheeses - to be divided between the filling and topping
  • 1/4 cup micro-plane grated hard cheese such as Parmesan
  • 3 cups combined, shredded mozzarella, Jarlsberg and a cheddar mixture
  • NOTE: Combine the following 2 ingredients - to be divided between the filling and topping
  • 1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped scallions
  • 4 tablespoons butter
Directions
  1. Start your KitchenAid with dough hook attached on low speed and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. When the dough forms a shaggy ball let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes, resume processing the dough, increase your speed to medium.
  2. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook, if needed. Mix until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add more flour if needed, but keep in mind that this dough should be soft; on the wet side.
  3. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and soft, adding a sprinkling of extra flour if needed to keep from sticking to your hands.
  4. Form the dough into a round and place into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size – about an hour.
  5. Punch down and knead the dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes to 1/2 hour.
  6. Meanwhile, melt the butter and prepare baking dish. In a 9 x 13 baking dish brush with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, sprinkle half of the red pepper/scallion mixture and 1 cup of the cheese mixture. Set aside until needed.
  7. On a lightly floured counter; press the dough into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Brush with one tablespoon of butter.
  8. Layer the dough with remaining filling ingredients, starting with the ham, then cheese followed by the red pepper/chopped scallions.
  9. Starting with the longest end of the rectangle, roll up and pinch the seam together.
  10. For 6 large rolls, cut the dough roll every 2 inches and assemble them into the baking dish. Brush with remaining butter. Note: cut into 1 inch slices for 12 smaller rolls.
  11. Cover buns with plastic wrap and rise for an hour or until doubled. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  12. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
  13. Let buns sit in the baking dish for 10 minutes; take a spatula around the edges to loosen (if needed).
  14. Let buns sit 10 more minutes and then invert the baking dish onto a platter, let sit 5 minutes and then pull the buns apart.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

35 Reviews

anniette February 12, 2023
Scrumptious and simple/straightforward. Made the 12 "smaller" rolls and they are plenty generous. Might try prosciutto next time, for a saltier ham. Love the color from the pepper and scallions. Will be making again. Thank you.
lapadia February 13, 2023
Hi, yum, prosciutto would be fabulous. Happy you found, tried and like this recipe; they are so much fun to make, and, eat ;)
Muse December 27, 2013
These look divine and I still have not had lunch...may try to make them right now! Thank you for this recipe.
lapadia December 27, 2013
Hi Muse, Thanks, I am thrilled you found these and may be trying them very soon; would love your feedback :)!
sarah August 18, 2013
I have made this about five times, as my son loves these rolls. I leave out the rosemary, pepper, and onion out of sloth. They are so delicious and you can get all the clean-up done while they bake so that you are free to fall into a carb coma after you're done eating.
lapadia August 18, 2013
Hi sarah! I'm thrilled you and your son love these rolls. As for leaving out the rosemary, etc., I believe recipes are for tweaking, so tweak on! PS-I love that..."carb coma." :)
ktchnninja July 5, 2013
Just now coming across this. Looks like a great make-ahead breakfast recipe to try for overnight guests!
lapadia July 5, 2013
Hi, Yes making these ahead work nicely, enjoy!
ChefJune June 19, 2013
now why didn't I see this recipe before? Sounds so delicious ad so easy. Now I can't wait for a road trip to take these along!
lapadia June 19, 2013
Hi CJ! I'm glad you found them, thanks, and enjoy!!
vvvanessa November 19, 2011
oh. my. yum.
lapadia November 20, 2011
Thanks for the "yum", 3V!
vvvanessa June 11, 2013
I would sooooo take these on a road trip!
lapadia June 11, 2013
Hello Ms.V, we will just have to figure out how to make that happen!! xo
Bevi October 23, 2011
These look terrific!!
lapadia October 23, 2011
Thanks, Bevi! Would love to hear back if you try them :)
VanessaS October 23, 2011
I made these for breakfast this morning and they were so good! I didn't have ham, so I used diced kielbasa instead. Will definetly be making these again!
lapadia October 23, 2011
HI VanessaS! Love hearing back from you, thanks, so glad you liked them. Yum your kielbasa idea sounds delicious!
SKK October 18, 2011
Great recipe L - can I use something other than powdered milk? Don't want to go to the store.
lapadia October 18, 2011
Hi, SKK! Well in that case I would use 1 cup of milk 1% or 2 in place of the water.
SKK October 18, 2011
Thank you Lapedia!
lapadia October 18, 2011
The "madness" in my mind made me HAVE to try and type in a reply under mrslarkin's comment...I am hitting the ADD button, now, to see if it worked. Have a nice day everybody!!!!
lapadia October 18, 2011
:) OCD hard at work, thanks mrslarkin!
lapadia October 18, 2011
Hmmm, hey mrslarkin, I actually added my comment in the proper box, like in below your comment :) Glitch, Glitch!
mrslarkin October 18, 2011
whoa, i just hit the reply to your comment and now i'm typing over your face. there should be a special OXO prize for the person who can find the most bugs. hehe.
lapadia October 18, 2011
LOL, mrslarkin!
aargersi October 18, 2011
Wow. And yum.
lapadia October 18, 2011
Thanks, aargersi, they are fun to make, too! :)
hardlikearmour October 18, 2011
Wow, lapadia! My tummy is rumbling looking at this recipe.
lapadia October 18, 2011
Oh my, so that is what I was hearing a little bit ago :)
Niknud October 18, 2011
This is total, wonderful, insane maddness. I love it!
lapadia October 18, 2011
He-he, Niknud, and thanks!
inpatskitchen October 18, 2011
Lapadia - I want these now!!!
lapadia October 18, 2011
Yes, IMP, I remember all your cheesy goodness recipes!!
mrslarkin October 18, 2011
good Lord, you're like a brilliantly-mad scientist! These look ridonkuliciously good, lapadia.