Pan De Casa Recipes

PANE CASERECCIO (HOMEMADE BREAD)

Steps:

• Mix the dry ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer, using the paddle. Then add the water in a drizzle until a very stick dough has formed. If the dough seems dry, then add a bit more, a spoonful at a time. Take the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a towel and/or a plate and leave it in a warm (but not hot) place over night. [NB: No worries if you don't have a standing mixer, you can just mix your dough in a normal bowl with a wooden spoon.]
• Scrape the dough out of the bowl with a spatula or wooden spoon onto a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and form the mass of dough into a ball without kneading. Gingerly lay the dough on a lightly floured tea towel, then fold the ends of the towel on top of the dough. Let the bread rise again until it roughly doubles in size, which can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours.
• About 30 minutes before the second rise is over, preheat your oven to 450F/230C. Put a 4-1/2 or 5-1/2 quart cast iron casserole (about 10" in diameter) with its cover, in the oven to preheat along with the oven itself.
• NB: For the next step: Make sure you have heavy oven mitts (it'll be too hot for a towel) and proceed with care!
• Take the casserole out of the oven using your oven mitt and lay it on a heat-resistant surface. Remove the cover and lay it aside. Take the towel with the dough and quickly flip the dough into the casserole (it will go in 'upside down', which is fine). Shake the casserole, if need be, to center the dough and then quick re-cover it.
• Put the casserole back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then take it out of the oven and remove the cover. (The bread will be ever so slightly browned.)
• Put the casserole back into the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the bread has developed a beautiful golden brown crust. Turn the bread out onto a cooling rack and leave it until it has completely cooled.
• When the bread has cooled completely, after about 45 minutes to an hour, it is ready to enjoy!

ROSCA DE REYES

Steps:

• Mix 4 cups flour, eggs, egg yolks, 2/3 cup white sugar, water, dry yeast, orange zest, lime zest, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter; mix until dough is elastic and shiny, about 5 minutes.
• Form dough into a ball. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
• Punch down dough gently; roll into a long cylinder. Join the ends of the cylinder together in the shape of an oval ring. Place ring on a greased baking sheet; cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk eggs whites in a small bowl. Brush egg whites evenly over dough.
• Mix 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl with your fingers to form a paste. Add enough flour to give paste the consistency of Play-Doh®; divide into 5 or 6 balls. Place each ball between two 3-inch squares of parchment paper. Press with the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup to make a circle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Space circles evenly around the dough ring. Arrange candied citrus peels on top of the dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

MOROCCAN PAN DE CASA

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast and sugar in water in a large bowl.
• Using a dough hook, stir the flour, salt, anise seeds, and sesame seeds into the yeast mixture and knead until smooth.
• Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise, covered, for an hour and a half.
• Turn the dough out and knead again. Grease two cookie sheets. Divide the dough into 3 rounds and let rise, covered, for another half hour on cookie sheets.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If you want to make this the old-fashioned way, take uneven stones and heat them in the oven on cookie sheets.
• Bake the rounds in the oven for 30 minutes or until the rounds sound hollow when tapped. If using stones, brush them with oil first, then place the rounds on top.

PAN DE CASA

Steps:

• Place 3 1/2 cups flour in an large bowl,make an well in the middle. Mix the yeast slighly into the flour and slowly add the the water until the dough comes together. Adding the remaining 1/2 cup of flour if the dough is too sticky, the desired conistency shoud be tacky.
• Place the dough on a floured countertop, add a little more flour and kned for 10 minutes. Use the palm of your hand to stretch it and turn it over.
• Spread the dough out slightly and add the salt. Dust with more flour and continue to knead for several minutes. Knead into a smooth ball and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, in a bowl greased with EVOO and covered with a kitchen towel. You'll know it's ready when the dough springs back when you touch it gently with your finger. The temperature of the dough is about 80°F and has doubled in size.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and cut it in half. Press it down and roll up each piece. Turn them on their sides and roll them up again - this rolls the gas out of them.
• Place each dough in their own greased bowls and cover with kitchen towel for 30 minutes, until they have again doubled in size.
• To make the final rounds, fold the dough two times, shaping them into balls. Then place the balls seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Dust with flour. Let sit 30 minutes more, covered.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Sprinkle the rounds with more flour, and press a little air out the sides. Score the tops of the rounds with a sharp knife several times. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Check after 20 minutes. Tap the bottoms and listen to hear if they sound hollow; if they do, their ready. Remove them and let cool to room temperature before slicing.