1.  In a small bowl or cup, mix warm water with sugar and yeast. Stir for approximately 1 minute or just until the water becomes a cloudy taupe color. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and mix well.

3.  After 10 minutes, the yeast should have developed a foam on top of the water. If so, pour the yeast and water mixture into the flour mixture along with 1/4 cup olive oil and continuously mix well until the dough starts to form. If no foam has formed on the top of the water, discard the yeast and water mixture and begin again. In most cases, inactivated yeast means 1 of 3 possibilities: the water was too cold and did not activate, the water was too hot and killed the yeast, or the yeast was old.

 

 

 

4.  Once the dough begins to form, it is recommended to continue mixing the dough with your hands. Use additional flour as necessary but the less flour used, the better. Try to keep the dough as elastic as possible. It should be very soft and flexible, not hard.

5.  Shape dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for the first rise.

6.  The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour - 90 minutes prior to forming the knots so that the dough can come to room temperature.

7.  While waiting for the dough to come to temperature, in a small bowl, whisk 1/3 cup olive oil with the Parmigiano and the minced garlic. Add a pinch of salt if needed. Set the mixture aside.

8.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

9.  Once the dough has reached room temperature, turn it out onto a floured work surface.

10.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.

11.  Take one piece of dough and roll it into a rope, roughly 4 - 5 inches long. Then tie the rope of dough into a knot. Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

12.  Repeat step 11 for all of the pieces of dough.

13.  Once all of the knots have been formed and are placed on the baking sheet, cover the baking sheet with a warm damp towel or a lightly oiled sheet of plastic wrap. Let the knots rise for 30 - 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

14.  Once the knots have risen sufficiently, uncover the baking sheet and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 15 minutes.

15.  After 15 minutes, remove the knots from the oven and brush/baste the tops with the garlic and olive oil mixture. Then, return the knots to the oven and bake for another 5 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.