May 9, 2011: Bolillos Mexican Bun Recipe

In my Mother’s Day post, I mentioned that I served my kids leftover bolillos, which I’d made to use as large hot dog buns for Sonoran Hot Dogs. Today I want to share that recipe with you; look for the hot dog recipe tomorrow using these Mexican buns.

I could definitely have used a bigger pan for these bolillos; the one pictured here is 13 x 9".

Bolillos

3 t. active dry yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water
1 ½ T. honey
1 T. butter flavored shortening (or lard), melted and slightly cooled
1 ½ t. salt
3 – 4 cups flour

In the warmed bowl of your standard mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for a few minutes, until it begins to froth. Add the honey, melted shortening, and salt. Add 3 cups of the flour and process on speed 2 until well mixed. Add remaining flour, half cup at a time until the mixture forms a ball (it will be sticky but should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl). You may need to add more flour to create bun dough, which should be similar to bread dough only wetter. Continue to knead on speed 2 for a few minutes, until the dough is elastic.

Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in a clean, well-greased bowl; turn to cover the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place, anywhere from half an hour to an hour, depending on temperature and humidity.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. For large bolillos, divide the dough into six pieces; for smaller rolls divide the dough into 10 pieces. Roll out between your palms to form an oval shape with narrow ends (although mine look more like torpedoes!). Place the shaped rolls on a well greased baking sheet. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled one more time, about another half an hour.

Uncover the rolls. Cut a slit down the center of each with a sharp knife almost to the bottom of the roll.

Place an ovenproof bowl filled with water on the lower rack of your oven. Turn the temperature to 375 degrees. Immediately place the pan of rolls in the oven (don’t wait it for to preheat). Set the timer for 30 minutes; rolls are done if they sound hollow when tapping the top crust with your fingers.

Tip: To make these bolillos by hand, use the same processes but knead well manually for a good 10 minutes or so the first time.

March 28, 2011: Onion and Leek Focaccia Recipe

This is one of the first recipes I made after joining my church and everyone just loved it – it became my most requested recipe for quite some time!

This focaccia bread is almost like a white pizza – and, in fact, I’ve used the bread recipe as pizza dough before. If you add a few more veggies and some meat (if you prefer), it really is just like pizza. For a traditional style pizza, add a tomato sauce first; for a white pizza, smear olive oil and butter across the top.

When I prepared this focaccia recently, I served it with spaghetti one night and beef stew the next. It was an excellent side dish for both meals, functioning as a bread and a vegetable all rolled into one. You could certainly add more veggies, such as broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc.

Onion and Leek Focaccia

¾ cup warm water
1 ½ t. yeast
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 T. olive oil
2 cups flour

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water (I use my Kitchenaid stand mixer and do this in the warmed mixer bowl). Add the sugar, salt, olive oil, and one and a half cups of the flour. Mix (speed two on the mixer or with a wooden spoon in a bowl) until the flour is incorporated, then add remaining half cup of flour to the mixer (if you are mixing by hand, knead the dough on a floured surface). Continue mixing/kneading until it forms a smooth ball.

Grease a pizza pan with olive oil, using your fingers. Take the ball of dough and stretch it out with your oily fingers until it evenly covers the pan. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about half an hour.

Onion and Leek Topping:
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 T. butter
3 ounces mozzarella cheese (not fresh), shredded

While the dough is rising, prepare the onion topping. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leek, onion, and garlic. Stir frequently until the vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown. Remove from heat.

When the dough has risen, use the handle of a wooden spoon and poke it into the surface every inch or so, about halfway down (don’t make holes in the dough!). Spread the onion and leek topping across the dough; top with shredded cheese.

Baked in 400 degree oven for 15 – 20 minutes. If desired, place under the broiler for a couple minutes to brown the cheese.

February 28, 2011: Sourdough Bread Recipe

How is your sourdough starter doing? By now your little refrigerator pet should be ready to use, so let’s start out with a basic recipe for sourdough bread.

First things first: you have to make your sponge (the proofed starter). Take your jar of starter out of the refrigerator the night before you want to make this bread. Pour it into a mixing bowl and add 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of warm water. Stir it together, cover it with a cloth, and set the bowl in a warm place. The next morning, the sponge should be ready, bubbly and frothy. This may only take a few hours, depending on the temperature in your home, but to be on the safe side, set it out the night before. The longer it proofs, the more sourdough taste your bread will have.

Sourdough Bread

2 cups sponge
2 T. olive oil or softened butter
4 t. sugar
2 t. salt
3 cups flour

Remove 2 cups of sponge and place in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Add a ½ cup each of flour and warm water to whatever is left, put in a clean jar, and stick it back in the fridge for next time.

Note: Try this once as a purist - without adding yeast. But if you find your dough doesn't rise, you can "cheat" and add one packet of yeast dissolved in a 1/4 cup of warm water to the following recipe.

Add the oil or butter, sugar, and salt to the sponge and mix it in well. Add the flour, a half cup at a time and knead in with a spoon and/or your hands. If using a stand mixer, add 2 cups of flour all at once and mix well, then add in the remaining flour one half cup at a time. The amount of flour is approximate. The idea is to create a smooth, elastic dough that does not cling to the sides of the mixing bowl.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Just like regular dough, when you poke a finger in the top and the indentation remains, the dough is ready to shape and bake. Note: sourdough takes much longer to rise than yeast dough so this may take a couple hours or more.

Punch down the dough and knead it a few times. Shape into a circle and placed it on a greased or cornmeal-sprinkled cookie sheet or pizza stone (or place in a greased loaf pan). Split the top, if desired. Cover it again and let it rise one more time, until doubled in bulk.

When it has risen, place the sheet or pan into a cold oven and turn it to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 – 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown (check for doneness by thumping on the bottom of the loaf; it should sound hollow).

Making sourdough bread isn’t hard, but it is time intensive. That’s why it’s best to proof your starter at night and get a good jump on making the bread the next morning.

Tip: For faster rising, turn your oven on for a couple minutes, then turn it off. Place the dough inside the warm oven (make sure it’s not too hot by touching the side of the oven – if it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot for your dough).

If you find your sourdough isn't rising, it could be that you let your little fridge pet die. It needs weekly or at least bi-weekly feedings to keep the yeast brewing.