Southwestern Breads and other stuff

A little while ago I had an off line request for a recipe on how to make fry bread.. Good how I love to eat fry bread.. but I figured since I have in my computer a collection of my favorite recipes from back home (New Mexico) I thought I'd share them here so others can give them a try... and here they are

Panes (Breads)
Tortillas De Harina (White Flour Tortillas)
Yield: 8-12 Total Cooking Time:
Temperature: Medium-High 20-25 minutes
Freeze Well

4 cups flour 4 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 cups warm water,
2 teaspoons baking powder approximately

1. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and cut in
shortening.
2. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add water, a small
amount at a time, and work mixture into a dough.
3. Knead dough until smooth, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes.
4. Form dough into balls the size of an egg. Roll each ball of dough
into a circle 6 inches in diameter.
5. Heat a griddle or skillet on medium-high heat. Place each
tortilla on griddle and cook for approximately 1 minute on each
side. (Tortilla should be lightly speckled.)


NOTE: Flour tortillas may be served as a bread with any New Mexican menu.
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Tortillas De Maiz (Corn Tortillas)
Yield: 12-14 tortillas Total Cooking Time:
Temperature: Medium-High 25-30 minutes
Freeze Well

2 cups blue or yellow corn 1 teaspoon salt
Masa Harina* 1 2/3 cups boiling water

1. Combine Masa Harina and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Add boiling water and stir until dough resembles, thick, cooked
cereal.
3. Wet hands and form dough into balls the size of an egg.
4. Place each ball of dough between two lightly moistened pieces of
waxed paper and flatten to about 1/8 inch thick, using a tortilla
press, rolling pin, or pressure from the hands. Remove tortilla
from waxed paper.
5. Heat griddle or skillet on medium-high heat. Place each tortilla
on the griddle and cook for approximately 1 minute on each side.
(Tortillas should be lightly speckled.)


* Masa Harina is available in the cereal section of most grocery stores.
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Sopaipillas De Levadura (Yeast Puffed Bread)
Yield: 4 dozen medium sopaipillas Total Frying Time: 15-20 minutes
Temperature: Medium-High Freeze Well

1 package active dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup warm water 1 teaspoon baking powder
(105°-115°F) 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups scalded milk, cooled 1 tablespoon shortening
4 cups flour Shortening

1. Dissolve yeast in water and add to milk.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and cut in
shortening.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add liquid to dry
ingredients and work into a dough.
4. Knead dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth; cover, and set
aside.
5. Heat 2 inches of shortening in a heavy pan at medium-high heat.
6. Roll dough to a 1/8 ingh thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut
dough into 4-inch squares and fry until golden on both sides, turning
once. (If the shortening is sufficiently hot, the sopaipillas will
puff and become hollow shortly after being placed in the shortening.)
7. Drain sopaipillas on absorbent towels.


NOTE: Sopaipillas may be served as a bread with any New Mexican menu. They may be served with honey, dusted with a sugar-cinnamon mixture and served as a dessert, or may be filled. See Stuffed Sopaipilla recipe.
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Sopaipillas De Levadura Quimica
(Baking Powder Puffed Bread)
Yield: 4 dozen Total Frying Time:15-20 minutes
medium sopaipillas Freeze Well
Temperature: Medium High

4 cups flour 4 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt Shortening

1. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and cut in
shortening.
2. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add water to dry
ingredients and work into dough.
3. Knead dough until smooth, cover, and set aside for 20 minutes.
4. Heat 2 inches of shortening in a heavy pan at medium-high heat.
5. Roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured board.
Cut dough into 4-inch squares and fry until golden on both sides,
turning once. (If shortening is sufficiently hot, the sopaipillas
will puff and become hollow shortly after being placed in the
shortening.)
6. Drain sopaipillas on absorbent towels.


NOTE: Sopaipillas may be served as a bread with any New Mexican menu. They may be served with honey, dusted with a sugar-cinnamon mixture and served as a dessert, or may be filled. See Stuffed Sopaipilla recipe.

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Pan De Maiz Con Jalapeño
(Jalapeño Cornbread)
Yield: 16 one-inch squares Baking Time: 35-40 minutes
Temperature: 425°F Freezes Well

1 cup flour 2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar 1 cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder 1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt 8 ounces cream-style corn
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons chopped
1 cup yellow cornmeal jalapeño chile*

1 Combine first six ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Add egggs, milk, and shortening to flour mixture and beat until
smooth. Add corn and pepper and blend well.
3. Pour mixture into a greased, 8-inch baking pan and bake in a
425°F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until cornbread is golden
brown.


* Varied amounts may be used. Two tablespoons of chopped green chile may be substituted.

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Pan Navajo (Navajo Fry Bread)
Yield: 6-8 servings Total Frying Time:20-25 minutes
Temperature: Medium-High

2 cups flour Cornmeal or flour
4 teaspoons baking powder Shortening
2/3 cup warm water,
approximately

1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add warm water to flour mixture and work into a smooth and elastic
dough.
3. Divide dough into balls of desired size.* On a board ligthtly
dusted with cornmeal or flour, roll out each ball of dough into a
1/4-inch thick circle. Cut a hole in the center of each circle.
4. Heat 2 inches of shortening in a heavy pan at medium-high heat.
5. Fry the dough, one circle at a time, until golden on both sides,
turning once. Drain on absorbent towels.


* For small servings, the ball of dough should be about the size of an egg. For larger servings, the ball of dough should be about the size of a lemon.
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Pan Isleta (Isleta Bread)
Yield: 2 loaves Baking Time: 1 hour
Temperature: 350°F Freezes Well

1 package active dry yeast 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup warm water (105°-115°F) 1 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon shortening 5 cups flour, approximately
1/4 teaspoon honey

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Place shortening, honey, and salt in a large mixing bowl and add
hot water. Stir to dissolve shortening and cool to room temperature.
3. When shortening mixture has cooled to room temperature, add
yeast mixture.
4. Gradually add flour to mixture until a moderately firm dough has
been formed. Knead dough on a lightly floured board until it is
smooth and elastic.
5. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until it
is double in size.*
6. Punch dough down, knead, and allow to double in size again.
7. Divide dough into two equal parts and shape each into a flat
circle approximately 8 inches in diameter. Fold the circle almost in
half, allowing the bottom half to extend beyond the top half by
about 1 inch.
8. Using a sharp knife, slash the dough twice, dividing the loaf
partially into thirds.
9. Place the dough into two greased, 9-inch pie plates, arranging
the loaf so that the slashes are separated, giving a crescent
effect to the loaf. Cover and allow dough to rise again unti it is doubled
in size.
10 Place a shallow pan of water on bottom rack of oven. Place the
loaves in the oven so that neither is directly above the water. Bake
loaves in a 350°F oven for 1 hour.


* Yeast dough should be allowed to rise in a warm locatin. It should never be allowed to rise in a heated oven. Dough is double in size when an indentation remains after a finger has been inserted into dough and removed.
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Molletes (Anise Seed Rolls)
Yield: 3-3 1/2 dozen Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Temperature: 375°F Freeze Well

1 package active dry yeast 2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt
2 cups warm water (105°-115°F) 1 teaspoon anise seed
1/2 cup shortening 6-7 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar Margarine

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large mixing bowl.
Set aside.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream shortening with sugar. Beat
in eggs and add salt and anise seed.
3. Add creamed mixture to yeast and thoroughly combine. Gradually
add flour to mixture until a moderately firm dough is formed.
Knead dough on a lightly floured board until it is smooth and
elastic.
4. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until it
is double in size.*
5. Punch dough down, knead, and allow to double in size again.
6. Knead dough and shape into round balls the size of an egg. Place
in a well-greased pan, cover, and allow to double in size again.
7. Lightly brush with margarine and bake in a 375°F oven for
20-25 minutes.


* Yeast dough should be allowed to rise in a warm locatin. It should never be allowed to rise in a heated oven. Dough is double in size when an indentation remains after a finger has been inserted into dough and removed.

NOTE: Molletes are traditionally served as a coffee cake.

reply to post by DaddyBare


Funny, this is exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks so much.

reply to post by Gutterpus


glad I could help
if there's enough intrest I might post more???
we'll see how it goes