Bolillo Rolls

I'm beginning to feel like a white flour pusher on this blog but Mexican Bolillo Rolls, used for making Tortas are just so good. There was a Torta place in Southern California we were addicted to that used the Bolillo bread for everything from BLT sandwiches to tuna salad, as well as some of the more traditional bean, beef, or chicken Tortas served with chile sauce. Try this easy Bolillo bread recipe smothered with some pinto beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato and guac for a classic veggie Torta or heck, go ahead and add bacon. -You were going to hell on account of the white flour anyway.

Bolillo Rolls (Torta rolls)

Equipment: 2 large mixing bowls, mixing spoon, clean wet dishcloth, sharp knife for scoring, baking sheet, parchment or silicone liner for baking sheet (or cornmeal can be used), pastry brush


Ingredients:

• 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
• 2 cups warm water
• 2-1/4 teaspoons active yeast (or 1 pkg.)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. olive oil for coating bowl

Directions:

• Put all dry ingredients in large bowl, mix with spoon, form a hollow in center
• Add warm water to hollow and stir with spoon until incorporated
• Transfer to kneading surface and knead about five minutes until just slightly sticky. Form into a round.
• Put olive oil in a clean bowl, place dough in and cover with wet dishtowel. Let sit 1 hour or until tripled in size.
• Knead again just a bit and cut into ten equal pieces, forming these into rounds. Leave rounds on kneading surface with a few inches between them, cover with the damp dishcloth again and let sit at least 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 375
• Form rounds into slight oval shapes, score tops crosswise three times, place on baking sheet, brush with some melted butter and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden.
• Once cooled and cut, brush the inside of the rolls with some melted butter and place them face down on a grill, griddle or baking sheet in the oven to crisp em up a bit before spreading with your goodies.

                                             Muy bien!


XO, Debbie