Pan Blanco Recipes

MEXICAN BOLILLOS: CRUSTY ROLLS

Steps:

• FOR THE STARTER: The night before baking, place yeast and water in a small bowl, mix well and add the flour. Mix again. You don't need to knead here. Cover with a plastic wrap and let sit on your kitchen counter top all night or at least 8 hours. Making this starter will increase the flavor of your bread. The next morning the starter will have a larger volume and will have formed lots of bubbles.
• BAKING DAY. In a large bowl or your heavy-duty mixer, place the starter, flour, salt, yeast and melted shortening. Start kneading the dough, adding the warm water slowly right at the beginning of the kneading process. IMPORTANT: If you live in a very humid place, you will need to reduce the amount of water by about 2 tablespoons less than indicated. If using a mixer, knead for 7 minutes on speed 2; if kneading by hand, knead the dough for about 15 minutes. The dough will separate from your mixing bowl like it shows in the above picture while kneading.
• Remove dough from the bowl and place on your working surface to form a ball. It should look soft but still a little rough.
• Grease a large bowl with shortening, oil or PAM spray. Place the dough and turn it all over to make sure all sides are covered with a coating of the grease. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume. If you live in a warm and humid weather this step will take less time.
• After the dough has doubled in volume, gently push your fist in to deflate it. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. (About 110 grams each). Place the pieces of dough into your slightly greased working surface and cover with a greased plastic wrap and let them rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to develop and help to shape your bollillos/rolls easier.
• To form the bolillos-rolls, dust your work surface with flour very lightly, flatten one piece of dough with the palm of your hand and fold 1/3 of the dough towards you and press down with your fingers, sealing it very well. Fold the dough again, repeating the sealing process until you form a roll, pinching the dough tightly. Make sure all the ends are sealed.
• To shape the rolls, place your hands over the dough and press gently but firmly, cupping your fingers, rolling back and forth. While doing this, press the heel of your hands to leave some dough uncovered to form the traditional bolillo ears.
• Place each bolillo/roll seam side down on the greased baking sheet and cover with a greased plastic. Allow them to rise until they've doubled in volume. About 1 and 1/2 hour.
• At least 20 minutes before the end of the rising period, turn on your oven at 450 degrees F. Place the metallic pan for the water on the oven floor.
• Once the rolls have doubled in volume, and just before placing them inside the oven, make a deep cut using a sharp serrated knife or a razor blade, holding your hand at a 45-degree angle.
• Spray the rolls with warm water, place them in a preheated oven and add 1 1/2 cup of cold water to the metallic tray you placed on the oven floor. The steam will create that beautiful thin and crunchy crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden, remove form the oven, and let them cool on a wire rack.

PIZZA BIANCO

Steps:

• In bread machine pan, place dough ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1-2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). , When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down; cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Press dough into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; build up edges slightly. , In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in oil for 3-5 minutes or until onion is crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in basil. , In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients; spread over crust. Sprinkle with vegetable topping. , Bake at 400° for 35-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

SOFT WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Place the warm water and sugar in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.
• Add the butter and 2 cups of the flour, and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
• Stir in an additional 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups of flour, along with the salt, mixing until the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
• Continue to knead, adding an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour, until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Place the dough in a large greased bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30 to 45 minutes).
• Lightly mist a 5 cup loaf pan with non-stick spray.
• Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf.
• Place the dough in the prepared pan, cover it loosely with greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30 to 45 minutes).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.

PAN BLANCO CUENCANO {CUENCA'S WHITE SANDWICH ROLLS}

Steps:

• Add the milk and anise seeds to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for one minute. Cool the mixture to 110 degrees F and strain out the anise seeds. Add the yeast and stir. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add the milk and yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixture and add the lard or butter. Add the flour mixture and stir with a dough whisk or large wooden spoon.
• With the dough hook, mix the dough on medium low for 10 minutes.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl or dough rising bucket and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto your counter and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball by cupping it in the palm of your hand and rolling it quickly over the surface of your counter. Cover the balls with oiled plastic wrap while working with the rest of the dough.
• Place the rolls on the baking sheets, and flatten the balls into 3-inch rounds. Let rise for one hour, loosely covered with oiled plastic wrap.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and set up a steam pan on the lowest rack of the oven and position the 2 other oven racks in the lower and upper third of the oven. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
• Brush the rolls with milk. Pour the boiling water into the steam pan, and slide the two pans of rolls into the oven onto the racks above the steam pan. Quickly close the oven door, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The rolls should be lightly golden. Cool the rolls on a wire rack before serving.

AREPAS CON QUESO

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a boil in a small pan. Add butter. Let stand and cool slightly.
• Grind frozen yellow corn kernels in a food processor. You can find arepa flour at many Latin and Mexican markets. If there isn't one near you, grind corn meal 1/4 cup at a time in your blender, and add 1/2 cup of flour.
• In a large bowl, mix the ground corn, arepa flour or cornmeal, salt, sugar, and mozzarella. Make a well in the center and gradually add the hot milk and butter mixture. Stir until there are no lumps. Work the dough until it is smooth and sticky.
• Take the rest of the butter and heat it on a frying pan. Drop arepa mix in rounded tablespoon fulls on to the pan. Fry on each side 3-5 minutes until browned.
• To serve, butter the arepa and dd extra grated mozzarella cheese or queso blanco on top. If you made the arepa slightly larger, you can cut a slit in the middle and stuff them with the cheese. Otherwise, you can take two arepas, add the cheese in the middle and eat them like a sandwich.
• You may also make the pancakes only and store them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Just lightly butter two pancakes, put a slice of cheese in between, and heat on the griddle at low heat until the cheese melts.

PAN CON TOMATE RECIPE (SPANISH TOMATO BREAD)

Steps:

• Cut the bread into slices of toast with medium thickness. Arrange on a baking sheet, and toast the bread slices in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for about five to ten minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut them in half, and grate them using a box grater, discarding the stem and skins.
• Once the tomatoes are grated, reserve in a small bowl and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Taste, and adjust if necessary.
• Cut the clove of garlic in half and rub the raw garlic on the toasted bread. Then carefully spoon the tomato mixture onto the slices of garlic toast, and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
• Optionally, top with a slice of jamón (Serrano or Iberian) for additional flavor, and a more hearty toast. Enjoy!