Gonzo White asked for a recipe for Spanish bread. There are four given in
_The Cook's Encyclopedia of Bread_ by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter
(my edition published by Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2000). This is the first one.
Pan Gallego
"Here, a typical round bread with a twisted top from Galicia. The olive
oil gives a soft crumb, and the millet, pumpkin and sunflower seeds
scattered through the loaf provide an interesting mix of textures."
3 cups white bread flour
1 cup whole-wheat bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 ounce fresh yeast*
generous 1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted lard
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon millet
yellow cornmeal, for dusting
Makes 1 Large Loaf
1 Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal. Combine the flours and salt in a
large bowl.
2 In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the water. Add to the center of the
flours with the olive oil or melted lard and mix into a firm dough. Turn
out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until
smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, then cover with lightly
oiled plastic wrap and let rise, in a warm place, for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or
until doubled in bulk.
3 Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently
knead in the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and millet. Re-cover and let
rest for 5 minutes.
4 Shape into a round ball; twist the center to make a cap. Transfer to
the prepared baking sheet and dust with cornmeal. Cover with a large
upturned bowl and let rise, in a warm place, for 45 minutes or until
doubled in bulk.
5 Meanwhile, place an empty roasting pan in the bottom of the oven. Prehat
the oven to 425 F. Pour about 1 1/4 cups cold water into the roasting
pan. Lift the bowl off the risen loaf and immediately place the baking
sheet in the oven, above the roasting pan. Bake the bread for 10 minutes.
6 Remove the pan of water and bake the bread for another 25 - 30 minutes
or until well browned and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
* Cook's Tip: You can replace the fresh yeast with a 1/4 ounce envelope of
easy-blend dried yeast. Stir into the flours in step 1. Continue as in
the recipe.