Sweet Potato Rolls

1          small (about 6 ounces) sweet potato or yam

½         teaspoon olive oil

¼         cup warm whole milk (105° to 110°F)

½         teaspoon granulated sugar

1½       teaspoons active dry yeast

1          tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

1          large egg, room temperature

2          cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1½       teaspoons kosher salt

            egg wash (1 egg and 1 teaspoon water whisked together)

            pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) for sprinkling

            ground nutmeg, for sprinkling

Nutritional information per roll:
Calories 134 (15% from fat) • carb. 13g • pro. 4g • fat 2g • sat. fat 1g
• chol. 25g • sod. 402mg • calc. 17mg • fiber 1g

1. Adjust the rack to position 2. Pierce the sweet potato all over using the tines of a fork. Rub with the olive oil. Place directly on the rack and select Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes. Press Speed Convection, then Start, to begin roasting.

2. Remove and allow to cool. Once cool to the touch, remove flesh, measure out ½ cup (less is fine, but you do not want to have any more or the dough will be too sticky. Save any extra for another use).
Discard peel.

3. Combine the warm milk with the sugar and yeast in a liquid measuring cup. Stir to dissolve and allow to stand until foamy, about 5 to
10 minutes.

4. Insert the metal chopping blade into the work bowl of a food processor. Add the ½ cup sweet potato, butter and egg. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down as needed. Next add the flour and salt; pulse to combine until mixture is evenly shaggy. While pulsing, slowly add the milk/sugar mixture through the feed tube. Once all has been added, process for 30 seconds. If dough seems too sticky, sprinkle an additional tablespoon of flour on the top of the dough, and another tablespoon of flour on a clean work surface and knead the dough on it a couple of times by hand. Transfer to a clean mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour; dough should double in size.

5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and gently fold over to “punch” down. Divide into 9 equal pieces, about 2 ounces each. Using floured hands, roll into smooth rounds and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover with plastic (Note: The parchment should be no larger than 13 inches—it has to fit on the baking stone. If it is easier, cut to a 13-inch circle). Let rise for 30 minutes, to almost double in size.

6. Adjust the rack to position 1 fitted with the pizza stone. Preheat oven by selecting Bake with Convection at 375°F for 25 minutes.

7. While oven is preheating, lightly brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle with a few pepitas and a pinch of nutmeg. Once oven beeps to signal that it is preheated, wait an additional 10 minutes to thoroughly heat the stone before adding rolls to the oven. Using a pizza peel or the surface of an inverted sheet tray, carefully transfer the rolls, with the parchment, directly onto the hot stone. Alternately, you can forgo this step if it seems too daunting and just bake on the provided baking pan, and place the pan directly on the stone. If using the pan to bake the rolls, they will not be as evenly browned on all sides as they would be if baked directly on the stone, but they will be just as delicious.

8. Once time expires, remove rolls from oven and serve immediately.