Hot Pandesal

Pandesal or The Bread of Salt (which is also the title of a popular short story written by NVM Gonzales) is probably the most popular bread in the Philippines. This bread is the favorite “pamahaw or agahan” (breakfast food) of most Pinoys (slang for Filipino) and can be eaten plain or with “palaman” (filling).

In the Philippines, all bake shops and bakeries sell Pandesal. Sometimes, this is sold in rolling stores (usually a honking bicycle with a big box on the back). I remember my friend who used sell Pandesal in our Baranggay with his bicycle yelling "pandesal da init pa!".  

"Hidlaw na ko magbantay kada aga around 5:30 in the morning para magbakal lang sang pandesal".

When purchasing from a neighborhood bakery, be sure to be there before 8 am because the supply runs out after that time.


Just so you know, I love eating Pandesal after dipping it in hot coffee.

Try this Filipino bread recipe : Pandesal.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• 5 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1¼ cup fresh milk, warm
• 1 pouch rapid rise yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 piece raw egg
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk and stir until the yeast and sugar are fully disolved
2. In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingrdients starting with the flour then the sugar, salt, and baking powder . Mix well by stirring
3. Add the egg, butter, cooking oil, and yeast-sugar-milk mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients then mix again until a dough is formed. Use your clean hands to effectively mix the ingredients.
4. In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine.
5. Mold the dough until shape becomes round then put back in the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with damp cloth and let the dough rise for at least 1 hour
6. Put the dough back to the flat surface and divide into 4 equal parts using a dough slicer
7. Roll each part until it forms a cylindrical shape
8. Slice the cylindrical dough diagonally (These slices will be the individual pieces of the pandesal)
9. Roll the sliced dough over the breadcrumbs and place in a baking tray with wax paper (makes sure to provide gaps between doughs as this will rise later on)
10. Leave the sliced dough with breadcrumbs in the tray for another 10 to 15 minutes to rise
11. Pre heat the oven at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 10 minutes
12. Put the tray with dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes
13. Turn off the oven and remove the freshly baked pandesal.
14. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!