Pan Amasado

Ingredients

• 500 g plain flour
• 100 g lard (manteca) or softened butter
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast
• 1.5 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 280 ml warm milk
• 1 tbsp flour, for dusting

Before you cook

• Warm the milk to about 38°C, no hotter than a comfortable bath
• Soften the lard so it can be rubbed into flour
• Whisk the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl

Steps

1. Rub the lard into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like damp sand.
2. Stir the yeast through the flour, keeping it away from direct contact with the salt.
3. Pour in the warm milk and mix until a stiff dough forms.
4. Turn the dough onto the worktop and knead it hard for 12 minutes, which is what gives this bread its tight crumb.
5. Stop when the dough is completely smooth and springs back slowly when pressed.
6. Cover the bowl and prove the dough for 45 minutes in a warm spot, until half again in size.
7. Heat the oven to 200°C and dust two baking trays with flour.
8. Divide the dough into 12 pieces of about 75 g and roll each into a ball.
9. Flatten each ball with your palm into a disc 1.5 cm thick.
10. Prick each disc right through in several places with a fork.
11. Set them on the trays with a few centimetres between them and rest them for 20 minutes.
12. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are pale gold and the bases sound hollow when tapped.
13. Cool the rolls for 10 minutes, then split them and spread the warm halves with butter.