Best Portuguese Peasant Bread Recipes

MY MOTHER'S PEASANT BREAD: THE BEST EASIEST BREAD YOU WILL EVER MAKE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast (I love SAF Instant Yeast). Add the water. Mix until the flour is absorbed. (If you are using active dry yeast, see notes below.)
• Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. (In the winter or if you are letting the bread rise in a cool place, it might take as long as two hours to rise.) This is how to create a slightly warm spot for your bread to rise in: Turn the oven on at any temperature (350ºF or so) for one minute, then turn it off. Note: Do not allow the oven to get up to 300ºF, for example, and then heat at that setting for 1 minute - this will be too hot. Just let the oven preheat for a total of 1 minute - it likely won't get above 100ºF. The goal is to just create a slightly warm environment for the bread.
• . Grease two 1-qt or 1.5-qt oven-safe bowls (see notes below) with about a tablespoon of butter each. Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. As you scrape it down try to pull the dough toward the center (see video below for guidance). You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you've punched it down. Then, take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions - eye the center of the mass of dough, and starting from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Then scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls. This part can be a little messy - the dough is very wet and will slip all over the place. Using small forks or forks with short tines makes this easier - my small salad forks work best; my dinner forks make it harder. It's best to scoop it up fast and plop it in the bowl in one fell swoop. Some people like to use flexible, plastic dough scrapers for this step.
• for about 20 to 30 minutes on the countertop near the oven (or near a warm spot) or until it has risen to just below or above (depending on what size bowl you are using) the top of the bowls. (Note: Do not do the warm-oven trick for the second rise, and do not cover your bowls for the second rise. Simply set your bowls on top of your oven, so that they are in a warm spot. Twenty minutes in this spot usually is enough for my loaves.)
• Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and bake for 15 to 17 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If you've greased the bowls well, the loaves should fall right out onto the cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you've turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven (outside of their bowls) and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

PORTUGUESE PEASANT BREAD - PãO SALOIO

Steps:

• Add all ingredients in the above order to the bread maker.
• Program it to dough. Place some flour over the stone you are going to bake it on.
• Form the dough into a large ball or divide it into small individual ones and place them on top of the stone.
• Pre-heat the oven at 220 and place a oven safe bowl with water to create humidity.
• Place stone with dough in the oven for about 20 minutes.

NO-KNEAD PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F) and mix with your hands or a spoon until the dough comes together (it will be wet and sticky). Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap. If you have extra time, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours; this is not necessary but will improve the flavor of the bread.
• Let the dough rise, covered, at room temperature for about 18 hours; this rise is necessary whether you refrigerate the dough first or not. The surface will be bubbly after rising.
• Generously dust a work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto the flour, then sprinkle flour on top. Fold the top and bottom of the dough into the center, then fold in the sides to make a free-form square. Use a dough scraper or a spatula to turn the dough over, then tuck the corners under to form a ball.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously dust with flour. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, seam-side down, and sprinkle with more flour. Cover with a cotton kitchen towel (do not use terry cloth) and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
• Position a rack in the bottom of the oven and place a 2- or 4-quart cast-iron or enameled Dutch oven (without the lid) on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. When the dough has doubled, carefully transfer the hot pot to a heatproof surface. Uncover the dough, lift up the parchment and quickly invert the dough into the pot (shake the pot to center the dough, if necessary). Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until brown and crusty, 15 to 30 more minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add the yeast mixture and remaining water; stir until combined. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Stir dough down. Divide in half. Place each half in a greased 1-qt. round casserole or ovenproof bowl. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove from pans; serve warm if desired.

PORTUGUESE PEASANT BREAD

Steps:

• In small bowl, stir sugar and yeast into 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F); let stand until yeast mixture foams, about 5 minutes.
• In large bowl, combine barley cereal, cornmeal, salt, and 4 cups flour. With wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture and 2 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F) until combined. With floured hands, shape dough into a ball in bowl.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and turn onto well-floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes, working in more flour (about 3/4 cup) as necessary while kneading.
• Grease large cookie sheet. Cut dough in half and shape each half into a 6-inch round. Coat each round with flour; place on cookie sheet. Cover loaves with towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake loaves until golden brown, a total of about 35 minutes, using spray bottle to spritz loaves with water after first 5 minutes of baking, and again 10 minutes later. Cool on wire racks.

PAO: PORTUGUESE FARM BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, semolina flour, and water by pulsing 10 seconds in a large heavy-duty food processor (about 11 cup capacity) fitted with the metal chopping blade. Scrape down the side of the work bowl, recover, and let stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
• With the machine running, add 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour down the feed tube. It's easier if the flour is poured from a spouted measuring cup into a wide-mouth canning funnel inserted in the feed tube, or a stiff piece of paper rolled into a cone (the opening at the bottom should be at least 1-inch across).
• Using a plastic spatula scrape the work bowl and, if necessary, redistribute the dough so that it evenly surrounds the blade. Be careful of the blade. Add the salt and remaining flour, distribute evenly over the dough, and pulse for 10 seconds. Again scrape the work bowl and redistribute the dough.
• Pulse the dough for 20 seconds nonstop, shut the machine off, and let the dough rest covered in the work bowl for 5 minutes. Now pulse for another 20 seconds.
• Leaving the blade in place, carefully redistribute the dough until it's of uniform thickness. Recover the work bowl, keeping the pusher from the feed tube in. Note the level of the dough, estimate what it should be when doubled in bulk, and mark that level on the side of the work bowl.
• Let the dough rise in the sealed work bowl until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly coat an 8-inch springform pan or 8-inch pie pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• When the dough has fully doubled, pulse quickly 4 to 5 times to punch down, then pulse for 20 seconds nonstop. Let the dough rest in the sealed work bowl for 5 minutes, then pulse for another 20 seconds. The dough will roll into a ball and leave the sides of the work bowl reasonably clean.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, then roll in the flour to dust lightly. Place the loaf in the prepared pan, cover with a clean, dry dish towel, and set in a warm, dry spot until nearly doubled in bulk, this will take about 30 minutes.
• When the dough has risen for 10 minutes, position 1 rack in the middle of the oven and slide a second rack in the slot just below. Place a large shallow baking pan on the lower rack?I use a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch jelly roll pan?and half-fill with water. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Center the risen loaf on the middle rack and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. and continue to bake until richly browned and hollow sounding when thumped, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.
• Remove the bread from the pan as soon as it comes from the oven, set right-side up on a wire rack, and cool to room temperature before cutting.

PORTUGUESE FARM BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Combine the yeast, semolina flour, and water by churning 10 seconds in a large heavy-duty food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl, re-cover, and let stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
• 2. With the machine running, add half the all-purpose flour down the feed tube. It's easier if you pour the flour from a spouted measuring cup into a wide-mouth canning funnel inserted in the feed tube or failing that, a stiff piece of paper rolled into a cone (the opening at the bottom should be at least 1 inch across).
• 3. Using a plastic spatula, scrape the work bowl, and if necessary, redistribute the dough so that it evenly surrounds the blade - take care! Add the salt and remaining flour, distributing evenly over the dough, and churn for 10 seconds. Again scrape the work bowl and redistribute the dough.
• 4. Churn the dough for 20 seconds nonstop, shut the machine off, and let the dough rest in the sealed work bowl for 5 minutes. Now churn for another 20 seconds.
• 5. Leaving the blade in place, carefully redistribute the dough until it's of uniform thinness. Re-cover the work bowl, keeping the pusher in. Note the level of the dough in bulk, estimate what it should be when doubled in bulk, and mark that level on the side of the work bowl.
• 6. Let the dough rise in the sealed work bowl until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly coat an 8-inch springform pan or 8-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• 7. When the dough has fully doubled, pulse quickly 4 to 5 times to punch down, then churn for 20 seconds nonstop. Let the dough rest in the sealed work bowl for 5 minutes, then churn for another 20 seconds. The dough will roll into a ball and leave the sides of the work bowl reasonably clean.
• 8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, then roll in the flour to dust lightly. Place the loaf in the prepared pan, cover with a clean, dry dish towel, and set in a warm, dry spot until nearly doubled in bulk - this will take about 30 minutes.
• 9. When the dough has risen for 10 minutes, position one rack in the middle of the oven and slide a second rack in the slot just below. Place a large shallow baking pan on the lower rack - I use a 15 1/2 X 10 1/2 X 1-inch jelly roll pan - and half-fill with water. Preheat the over to 500°F.
• 10. Center the risen loaf on the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue baking until richly browned and hollow sounding when thumped, 20 to 25 minutes longer.
• 11. Remove the bread from the pan as soon as it comes from the oven, set right-side-up on a wire rack, and cool to room temperature before cutting.