Kete Bread Rolls

Stir together warm milk and yeast in a small bowl until yeast dissolves. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir together flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in flour; add warm milk mixture and softened butter. Mix together using your hands, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 12 minutes. Cover bowl with a damp dish towel, and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium. Add walnuts, flour, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture browns slightly to the color of peanut butter, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside to let cool, about 1 hour. Stir in thyme.

Divide dough evenly into 8 portions (about 2 ounces each) on a lightly floured work surface. Working with 2 dough portions at a time, roll each into paper-thin 11- to 12-inch rounds. Liberally brush 1 round with melted butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons filling. Top with second dough round; repeat buttering and sprinkling process. Roll into a tight log. Shape log into a spiral, tucking outer end underneath the pastry. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using the palm of your hand, press pastry to 3/4-inch thickness. Brush top with melted butter, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Repeat process with remaining 6 dough rounds and remaining filling. Let prepared pastries rest, covered, 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush pastries evenly with some of the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest 15 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and brush pastries again with remaining egg mixture.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes before serving.