Squash Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup squash puree or canned pumpkin
• 5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds or sesame seeds

Directions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, combine milk with yeast, sugar, and salt. Let stand 5 minutes, then add egg and beat well to combine.

2. 2

   Add squash and shortening; mash with a fork until shortening is in small pieces. Add 11/2 cups flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Gradually mix in more flour by the cupful until dough collects around spoon and pulls away from sides of bowl (you may not need all the flour).

3. 3

   Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead 2 minutes. Put dough in a greased bowl; cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 11/2 hours.

4. 4

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter a large baking sheet. Punch dough down, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until dough is smooth and supple, about 7 minutes. Cut dough into 4 balls; cut each ball into 6 pieces.

5. 5

   Roll each piece into a round and arrange rounds on baking sheet so they barely touch. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds; cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then pull apart to serve.