Crusty Buns

Anna P.'s Note:

Basic white dough is used to make dozens of shaped bread. Although more time-consuming to make then kaisers and other breads that are shaped by machine, the traditional Portuguese papa-secos, shaped by hand, are a labor of love.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 3 hrs
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 18 buns

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 package active dry yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lard

Directions:

1. In measuring cup, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm warm.
2. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. In large bowl, blend flour and salt.
4. Using fingers, rub in lard until well blended.
5. Stir yeast mixture vigorously with fork and stir into flour mixture.
6. Gradually mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups luke-warm water to make stiff dough.
7. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
8. Gather into ball and place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all over.
9. Cover and let rise in draft-free place for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
10. Punch down dough and divide in eighteen pieces.
11. On well-floured board, using palm of hand, lightly flatten pieces into 3-inch rounds.
12. place side of hand down center of dough; press firmly without seperating dough.
13. Fold sides in to center and pinch ends to form slight points; arrange about 2 inches apart on well-grease baking sheets.
14. Dust with flour.
15. Cover and let rise in draft-free place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
16. Bake on sheet at a time on top rack in 500F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until buns are well browned and sound hollow when tapped on bottom.
17. Transfer to wire racks.

Reviews

[Chef #907453]

I have made these three times. All three times they came out great. Once I made them the way the recipe was printed , the second time I add some Italian seasoning to the recipe(we were having pasta that night) and this last time I mixed in some whole wheat flour and some ground flax seeds to get more fiber in my diet. All were great except that I found it too salty so I cut down on the salt.

[ahungrywolfe]

i'm pregnant and have three kids under three. i didn't have time to knead! so i threw everything in my bread machine. (wet ingredients, followed by the dry, and finally the yeast) instead of lard, i used butter. instead of sugar, i used honey (wet) and then i used three cups all-purpose and 2 cups whole wheat. just before putting them in the oven, i brushed them with slightly beaten egg whites to give them a slightly shinier crust. THANK YOU! this was the ONLY crusty bun recipe i could find and we're having beef dip tonight!

[Chef #1349387]

The recipe's conversion for the yeast is wrong. A package should be 2 1/4 tsp not 1 Tbsp. The taste of these are great but you need to at least double the size to get regular buns. I think this should only make about 8 buns. I also put a cookie sheet on top of them while they rise to keep them a little flatter, more like one's you get at the Portuguese bakery.