Description
I didn’t think I liked Cuban sandwiches until I had one on real Cuban bread–what a difference! This bread uses lard and a double-hit of yeast plus a fermented starter. All this adds extra flavor and lift.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ cup flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- ¾ cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons lard
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed – divided
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- Water to spray tops of loaves
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup flour
- and 1/2 teaspoon yeast
- in a bowl or measuring cup. Whisk the starter until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
- Place 1 package yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour in 3/4 cup warm water. Let rest 15 minutes to ensure yeast is alive and bubbling on the surface. Add lard and salt to bowl
- then add 1 cup of the flour. Mix until incorporated and dough forms a sticky ball. Add the starter. Add all but 1/2 cup of the remaining flour and mix to incorporate.
- Knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until it comes together in a firm ball
- adding up to 1/2 cup of the remaining flour as needed. Dough should be soft and supple with just a bit of tackiness on the surface.
- Place dough in a bowl and coat the surface with vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise. Let rise until at least doubled in size
- about 2 hours.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Lightly press dough into a rectangle with lightly floured hands. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a rectangle about 12 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Starting at the long ends
- tightly roll dough to form two skinny loaves. Slightly flatten the tops. Transfer loaves to a prepared baking sheet and dust with flour. Cover with a light
- dry towel and let rise until doubled in size
- 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cut a 1/4-inch deep slit down the top of loaves with a sharp knife or razor. Lightly mist loaves with water.
- Bake in the preheated oven
- one pan on the lower rack and one on the higher rack
- for 10 minutes. Switch pan positions and continue to bake until loaves are golden brown
- 10 to 15 minutes longer.
- Transfer loaves to cooling rack and let cool to room temperature before slicing.
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 12 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 12