Ladi Pav (Soft Indian Dinner Rolls)
Pillowy soft, golden-topped Indian dinner rolls made with bread flour, warm milk, honey, and olive oil. Perfect for Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, or simply enjoyed with butter.
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Servings: 12 rolls
Equipment
- 1 9×13inch baking pan
- 1 parchment paper
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Dough
- 329 g (1⅓cup) Milk,warmed to 113°F,
- 2 tbsp Milk for brushing as needed, room temperature
- 515 g (3½cups) Bread flour
- 8 g (2 tsp) Instant yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 3 tbsp EVOO(extra virgin olive oil), divided
- 1/2 tsp EVOO(extra virgin olive oil) for greasing the bowl
Finishing
- 2 tsp Butter, room temperature
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Measure all ingredients by weight for consistentresults.
- Combine the warm milk, honey, 2 tablespoons of EVOO,and the yeast in a mixing bowl. Stir and let sit until foamy, about 2 to 3minutes.329 g (1⅓cup) Milk,warmed to 113°F, , 2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp EVOO(extra virgin olive oil), divided, 8 g (2 tsp) Instant yeast
- Addthe flour and salt, mixing until a rough dough forms.515 g (3½cups) Bread flour, 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface anddrizzle in 1 teaspoon of EVOO. Knead for about 7 to 9 minutes, adding 1½teaspoons of EVOO partway through, until soft and smooth.
Rising& Shaping
- Lightly grease the bowl with 1 teaspoon of EVOO,place the dough inside, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Punch down the dough and weigh it (about 920g total).Flatten it into a rough rectangle and cut it into 4 equal parts.
- From each part, shape 3 balls (about 77g each): cup your hand over the dough and roll in small circles to round it, fold the edges into the center and pinch to seal the seam, then place seam side down and roll again in small circles until smooth and tight.
- Place each ball seam-side down in a parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan with space between. Keep unshaped portions covered while you work, and cover the shaped balls too as you arrange them. Cover the full pan.
Baking & Finishing
- Let the shaped pav proof in a warm spot until puffy and touching, about 1 hour. Begin preheating the oven to 375°F during the last 10 to 15 minutes of this final proof.
- Brush the tops with room temperature milk.2 tbsp Milk for brushing as needed, room temperature
- Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
- While still hot, spread butter generously over the tops.2 tsp Butter, room temperature
Video
Notes
- Use bread flour, not all-purpose, for the signature chewy-soft texture.
- Weigh your flour rather than scooping to avoid dense rolls.
- When shaping, a little tension is good but don't over-tighten - the dough can tear if pulled too hard.
- Avoid too much flour on the counter while shaping - it stops the dough from gripping, so the seam won't seal.
- The butter finish isn't optional - it's what keeps the pav soft the next day too.