savory corn buns

I love living in a small town. Yes, San Francisco has a population of about 850,000, but it feels like a small town to me. See if you can follow this thread as proof: I pick up a copy of Edible SF (I hope you read an Edible communities magazine in your area; they are wonderful publications) and I notice a recipe for savory buns made with pizza dough and fresh corn kernels. I slap my forehead and moan, “why didn’t I think of that???” I make the buns with dough from a great local pizzeria, they are divine, so I do a search on Kathleen Korb, the person who created the recipe (and what a great name for someone writing about corn off the cob—where is Herb Caen when I need him*?). Turns out she works with my friend Amanda at Williams-Sonoma, who connects us personally. We chat. Kathleen is a way better photographer than I am, so she’s letting me share the recipe and her photos, too. I love that kind of generosity. It feels like the digital version of a neighbor dropping by with a plate of savory corn buns and in this town, it really is.

*that’s a namefreak insider joke for all you locals

ingredients

herb butter, at room temp (see recipe below; you’ll need about 3 tblsps)
1-pound ball pizza dough*
olive oil
1 cup corn, cut from 2 ears (I got enough from 1 ear)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Asiago cheese
salt
ground pepper
1 egg

*find this in the refrigerator section of grocery or ask your favorite pizza place if they sell dough

directions

Prepare the herb butter up to 2 hours before and let stand at room temperature. Put the pizza dough in an oiled bowl and let rise, covered with towel, in a warm place for 2 hours so it doubles in size.Preheat oven to 375° F.

Roll out dough to roughly 10 by 12 inches. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the herb butter all over dough, right up to the edges (reserve the remaining herb butter for other uses—like over grilled steak). Sprinkle the corn and onion evenly over all the dough and top with cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.Start with the longest end of the dough and roll into a log, tucking in the dough as you go. Cut the roll in half and then the halves into thirds, ending up with six uniformly sized slices. Arrange the rolls in a round pie dish or rectangular baker, so they are almost touching (the rolls will expand in the oven). Whisk egg and a splash of water to make an egg wash. Brush lightly over the tops of the rolls. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the rolls are golden and dough is cooked through. Serve hot, warm, or cool.

herb butter
½ cup chopped mixed herbs (chives, parsley, chervil and basil are great)
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

In a small bowl, mix the chopped herbs together with the butter, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.