Make the sourdough

• Mix the flour, water, sourdough starter and salt into a 75% hydration dough.
• Add a little olive oil and work the dough until smooth.
• Cover and let it bulk ferment until doubled and airy.

Confit the garlic

• Peel the garlic heads and cover the cloves with olive oil in a saucepan.
• Cook gently until soft and golden, then drain, keeping the confit oil.

Make the 50/50 garlic butter

• Mash the confit garlic into the softened butter, half butter and half garlic.
• Mix into a smooth, spreadable paste.

Start the pepperoni marinara

• Dice the onion and fry the pepperoni in a pan until crisp and porky.
• Add the onion, black pepper and chili flakes and cook until softened.
• Add the tomatoes and thyme and simmer into a thick sauce.
• Blitz the sauce until smooth.

Shape the garlic rosettes

• Roll the dough out and smear the garlic butter edge to edge.
• Roll it up like a cinnamon roll, split the roll and twist each piece.
• Coil each twist into a rosette and place in the tall molds.
• Proof until puffy.

First bake

• Bake the proofed knots until golden and set.

Lacquer and coat

• Brush the hot knots generously with the garlic confit oil.
• Bury them in a blizzard of grated pecorino, parmesan and parsley.

Second bake for the frico crust

• Return the knots to the oven until the cheese forms a crisp golden armor.

Serve

• Serve the knots hot, dragged through the pepperoni marinara.