Instructions

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan of water with a steamer basket. Steam for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together warm water at 110F, maple syrup, and yeast. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, or until a bubbly foam develops on the surface.
3. Lightly grease a large glass mixing bowl with olive oil. Set aside.
4. Add steamed potatoes to a food processor and process for 1 minute or until puréed. Occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl between pulses.
5. Place following items into the potato mixture in food processor: yeast mixture, spelt flour, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, thyme, and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt.
6. Pulse food processor 5 times, and then process for 15 seconds, or until dough begins to roll into a loosely formed ball. Dough should be soft, sticky, slightly shaggy, and pulled together in a soft ball on the side of the food processor. Note: If it's too wet, add more spelt flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and pulse until desired texture. Alternatively, if it is too dry or dense, add more warm water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and pulse until desired texture.
7. Remove dough from food processor and place it on a work surface that has been generously dusted with spelt flour.
8. Knead dough for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes, or until smooth and springy, adding more spelt flour as needed (up to 1/4 cup). Dough is ready when it begins to hold its shape and springs back, slightly but not completely, when pressed. Note: The gluten in spelt flour is more delicate than regular flour, so be careful not to over-knead or you’ll end up with dry, crumbly rolls.
9. Shape dough into a ball and place it in oiled bowl. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
10. Prepare the walnut Parmesan. Add walnuts, nutritional yeast flakes, and a pinch of sea salt to a small food processor and pulse about 10 times, or until nuts are ground into a texture that resembles coarsely grated Parmesan cheese. Do not overprocess to dust.
11. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
12. Punch down dough and turn it out onto a clean, generously floured work surface. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces and knead each piece for just a few seconds. Roll each piece out into a rectangle that is approximately 5 inches wide by 10 inches long.
13. Slice each rectangle widthwise into five 2-inch-thick strips. One at a time, roll each strip into a rope, and gently tie it in a knot, tucking in any loose ends. Place knots on prepared baking sheet.
14. Lightly brush tops of the knots with olive oil and loosely cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Allow knots to rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
15. Heat remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a small pan over low heat. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic softens. Set garlic parsley oil aside.
16. Preheat oven to 375F.
17. Place baking sheet of knots on middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until knots just begin to turn golden on top.
18. Transfer baking sheet to an oven-safe cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes.
19. Brush knots with garlic parsley oil then sprinkle with walnut Parmesan topping.
20. Serve warm.

Note: Use a kitchen scale to measure and ensure the potatoes measures exactly 212 grams.