While American dinner rolls are soft, buttery, and rich, Italian dinner rolls are crusty, chewy, and lean. The dough is similar to that used in Rustic Italian Bread, but an entirely different approach must be taken to shaping and baking rolls. We started with the dough for our Rustic Italian Bread (another class in the Cooking School) and made a few adjustments. The result was perfectly risen, chewy rolls that were golden and crisp all around.