In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, salt and yeast until well combined; set aside.

In a small pot, heat buttermilk until warm to the touch (about 115°F). (Be careful not to overheat the milk since it may cook the egg.)

Remove pot from heat and whisk in honey, 3 tablespoons of the butter and egg. Pour buttermilk mixture into bowl with flour mixture and whisk until a thick batter is formed. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups flour until a soft dough is formed.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting dough with more flour as needed to keep it from sticking, until smooth and no longer sticky, 7 to 8 minutes.

For cloverleaf rolls, divide dough into 36 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Arrange 3 balls of dough in each cup of a greased 12-muffin tin.

For large pull apart rolls, divide dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a small ball. Arrange balls of dough snugly in a greased 9-inch round cake pan.

Brush rolls with a bit of the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cover loosely and set aside in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush rolls with remaining butter and bake until deep golden brown and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot, spread with butter, if you like.