Whole Wheat Sourdough Pull-Apart Buns with Zucchini

Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

These whole wheat sourdough pull-apart buns made with pureed zucchini are best served right out of the oven, but they're still delicious days later--if only they last that long!

Ingredients

1 small zucchini, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sourdough starter discard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, melted, or more to taste

Directions

1 Combine zucchini and 1/4 water in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth. Transfer to a liquid measuring cup and add water to the 1-cup line.
2 Pour pureed zucchini into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add both flours, sourdough discard, olive oil, yeast, and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.
3 Place dough in a greased bowl and let rest, uncovered, in an enclosed space, until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 3 to 4 times.
4 Roll dough into a 12-inch log and cut it into 12 roughly equal pieces. Roll each piece into a round, pulling the edges around to the middle of the bottom to create a smooth upper surface. Place rolls in a grid pattern in a well greased 9x12-inch baking dish with high sides; place in an enclosed space until buns have risen to fill the entire dish and are the desired size, about 1 hour.
5 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
6 Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush tops with melted butter to create softer upper crusts.