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I use the Alton Brown recipe and it is frickin amazing. And it’s all butter, no shortening!
**About Parker House rolls:**
Parker House rolls are soft dinner rolls made with milk and formed from flat dough that is then folded in half and topped with butter and salt. Originally Parker House rolls were cut into circle or oval shapes and then folded in half—nowadays you’ll see them as rectangles or half ovals or as squares, even.
They are so called because they were created in the Parker House Hotel in Boston, MA. And if that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s also the birthplace of **Boston cream pie**. They originated at the Parker House in the 1870s and made their first appearance in print in 1874 in the *New Hampshire Sentinel*.
1 envelope active dry yeast (around 7 grams)
1 cup whole milk (240 mL)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 room-temperature large egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (420 g)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Flaky sea salt
Whisk 1 envelope active dry yeast and 1/4 cup warm water (110°F-115°F) in a small bowl; let stand for 5 minutes.
Heat 1 cup whole milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just warm. Combine 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk; whisk to blend, breaking up shortening into small clumps (it may not melt completely). Whisk in yeast mixture and 1 room-temperature large egg. Add 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Knead dough with lightly floured hands on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Lightly brush a 13×9″ baking dish with some melted butter. Punch down dough; divide into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 12×6″ rectangle.
Cut lengthwise into three 2″-wide strips; cut each crosswise into three 4×2″ rectangles. Brush half of each (about 2×2″) with melted butter; fold unbuttered side over, allowing 1/4″ overhang. Place flat in 1 corner of dish, folded edge against short side of dish. Add remaining rolls, shingling to form 1 long row. Repeat with remaining dough for 4 rows. Brush with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic, and chill for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
Bake rolls until golden and puffed, 25-35 minutes. Brush with butter; sprinkle flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) over. Serve warm.