No-Knead Overnight Parmesan and Thyme Rolls

Okay, I know what those of you that have been following along are thinking...and you are right, this recipe didn't come from my Grandma's Recipe Boxes.  Oh, she has bread and roll recipes all right, several of them, but I am telling you, they are hard to figure out.  Between the handwriting and lack of directions in many of them, you really really have to get psyched up to take some of these on.  Since Saturday was the first day of spring and I wasn't going to a baseball game (which would have been my first choice) I was having trouble getting interested in taking on one of her recipes when I decided to approach my cooking for the weekend from a different angle.  One my Grandma would approve of...using up ingredients I had...the frugal approach.  Add to it, my recent issue of Cooking Light had just come and their spring recipes were catching my eye.  (I'll try to forget about the fact that by the same time the next day, I had about 6 inches of snow in my back yard).  These rolls are very tasty and easy and if you like the flavors of olive oil, parmesan and thyme, I think you'll really like these.
No-Knead Overnight Parmesan and Thyme Rolls
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons extra-vifrgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk (I used skim and didn't see a real difference this would have caused)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1.1 ounces whole-wheat white flour (about 1/4 cup)
5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups), divided
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1. Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add thyme to pan; cook 1 minute or until bubbly and fragrant.  Add thyme mixture and milk to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk; add 1/4 cup cheese, sugar, salt, and egg, stirring well.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon whole-wheat white flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Using a wooden spoon, stir whole-wheat 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) all purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.  Add all-purpose flour to yeast mixture, stirring well.  Add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to form a smooth but very sticky dough.  Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Dough will not double in size.)
4. Remove dough from refrigerator.  Do not punch dough down.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour.   Roll dough into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle.  Brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.  Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over dough; sprinkle with pepper.  Beginning with a long side, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion.  Pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll).  Cut roll into 8 (1 1/2-inch) slices.  Place slices, cut sides up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until rolls have risen slightly.
5.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6.  Place pan in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 375 degrees.  Bake rolls at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.  Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 roll).
Calories 161, Fat 6.3 g(sat 2g, mono 3.3g, poly 0.6 g); Protein 6.3g; Carb 19.7g; Fiber 1.3g; Chol 32 mg; Iron 1.4mg; Sodium 246mg; Calc 112mg.   
April 2010 Cooking Light