How to Make Sub Bread Low-Fat

Make a low-fat dough for submarine sandwiches.

For a submarine sandwich to be enjoyable, the rolls must be relatively soft and easy to chew. That's why the dough used for submarine sandwich rolls is usually the kind used for sliced sandwich loaves or dinner rolls. The dough is softened by adding fat, eggs or dairy products. To make a low-fat roll, omit those ingredients and instead make a "lean" dough of just flour, water, yeast and salt or a bit of sugar to speed the rise. The rolls are then softened after baking.

Things You'll Need

• Lean bread dough:
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 5 to 6 cups flour
• 1 package bread machine yeast
• 1 tbsp. salt
• Bread machine or mixing bowl
• Flexible spatula
• Knife
• Sheet pan
• Pan spray
• Wire cooling rack
• Pastry brush
• Milk

Instructions

Mixing the Dough

1. Add the dough ingredients to your bread machine in this order: 2 cups water, 1 tbsp. sugar, 5 to 6 cups flour, 1 package bread machine yeast and 1 tbsp. salt. Begin with 5 cups of flour and add more during mixing if the dough is too wet. Put the yeast and salt in opposite corners of the pan because the salt will kill the yeast if they touch. Add low-fat milk or powdered milk and a little extra sugar to the dough, if desired. This adds slightly to the calorie count, but results in a softer roll that is still low in fat. The powdered milk and sugar should be added with the other dry ingredients.

2. Mix the dough by hand in a mixing bowl if you don't have a bread machine. If you have a bread machine, set it to its "dough only" setting and press start. After five minutes, open the lid to see if some of the dough has stuck to the sides of the bread pan. If so, push it down with a flexible spatula. Close the lid and allow the machine to complete its cycle undisturbed.

3. Once the dough comes together in a ball, turn it out onto a floured countertop and knead it for eight to ten minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Oil the mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl to rise for an hour or so until doubled in size.

4. Turn the dough out on to the counter once it has fully risen. Punch down the dough and knead out any large gas bubbles.

Shaping and Baking the Rolls

1. Divide the dough into individual portions. This recipe will make six large or twelve small rolls. Shape each portion into a tight, round ball and allow them to rest for ten minutes.

2. Take a roll and turn it rounded side down on the work surface. Press it down flat with your fingertips, until it forms a rough rectangle. Fold the back edge of the rectangle forward onto the dough and press it firmly to seal the edge. Brush off any surface flour and repeat twice more until the whole ball of dough forms a cylinder. Seal the least edge with your fingertips.

3. Repeat for the remaining rolls. Lift the shaped rolls onto a sheet pan, spacing them evenly. Spray the top of the rolls lightly with pan spray, which will prevent them drying out and also make them easier to separate after baking.

4. Let the rolls rise until doubled in bulk. Place them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove the rolls from the oven and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.

5. Brush the hot rolls with milk, taking good care to moisten every surface. Flip the rolls carefully upside down and brush the underside as well. Repeat, if desired, once the initial coating of milk has soaked in. This will soften the crusts of the rolls and make them easier to chew.

6. Use the rolls as soon as they have cooled to room temperature or wrap them tightly and freeze them.

References

• "The Professional Pastry Chef, Fourth Edition"; Bo Friberg; 2002
• King Arthur Flour: Yeast Bread Primer