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1
Combine 1 cup of white flour plus all of the whole wheat flour and the garlic powder in the bowl of an electric mixer.
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2
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, butter, basil, sugar, and salt. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is mostly melted (warm but not hot). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast over the liquid mixture and stir to dissolve.
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3
Add the liquid mixture to the flour and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the egg and beat just to incorporate the egg. Add more flour, half a cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic, about five minutes.
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4
Pour 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into a bowl. Put dough in the bowl, swoosh it around, and turn the oiled side up. Cover and let rise until double, about an hour. Punch the dough down, then divide it into 24 pieces. (Divide in half, then divide that in half, and then divide that in half... and finally divide that into three pieces each.) Roll each piece of dough into a rope about 12 inches long. Tie the rope into a loose knot. Bring the bottom end up and tuck it into the center. Pull the top end around and tuck it under the roll.
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5
Place the rolls on greased baking sheets (or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper). Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
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6
Meanwhile, put the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into a small bowl with garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Do this now so the garlic flavor will infuse the oil while the rolls rise and bake.
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7
Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 13-15 minutes. Immediately remove them from the baking sheet to a wire rack and brush with the garlic-infused oil.
