(Total time from prep to finish: 2 hrs. 15 mins.
Makes approximately 64)
PLUS
-Stir the brown sugar into the warm milk until dissolved.
-Stir in the yeast. Allow it to sit for a few minutes until the top begins to foam.
-While you're waiting for the yeast to proof, put the flour into the bowl of your mixer ( if you aren't going
to use a mixer and prefer to stir by hand, put the flour into a large bowl).
-After the milk has started to foam, mix it into the flour. Stir until the dough holds together.
-Generously flour a surface to knead the dough. Knead a few times, until a smooth ball forms.
-Lightly brush the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.
-Place the dough, smooth side down, into the bowl. Give the dough a twist to coat with oil. Then flip it,
so that the smooth, oiled side is face-up.
-Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rise until it's doubled in size (about 1 1/2
hours).
-After the dough rises, place the dough back onto the floured surface and cut into 4 pieces.
-Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the first section of dough very thin, until it is approximately
18" x 5".
-Fold the ham in half lengthwise and place it on the lower half of your dough. Top the ham with a single
layer of half-slices of cheese.
-Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough, ham and cheese forward, keeping it as tight as
possible. Tuck the ends and pinch them under. Cut the roll in half and place the halves onto a sheet
of parchment paper.
-Repeat with the remaining dough, until all dough has been rolled with the ham & cheese.
-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
-Fill a 6-quart pot with about 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the baking
soda. Reduce the heat to a high simmer.
-Boil your dough rolls one at a time, about 30 seconds on each side, using tongs to flip.
-Remove the dough roll from the pot and slice it into 1-inch segments. Repeat with the
remaining dough rolls; boil & slice.
-Arrange the bites (approximately 1" apart), seam side down, onto your parchment-lined baking sheets.
-Brush the tops with the melted butter. Lightly sprinkle the tops with salt.
-Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the dough is browned.