Portuguese Bread Rolls | Papo Secos - Tales From The Kitchen Shed

A wicker basket filled with Portuguese Bread Rolls AKA Papo Secos.

Portuguese Bread Rolls | Papo Secos

My Portuguese Bread Rolls AKA Papo Secos are crusty on the outside with a light and airy interior. Perfect for sandwiches, dipping in a soup or spread with a generous curl of butter.

This is my take on traditional Portuguese Rolls. Easy to make whilst still delivering a delightful crust and a soft and fluffy inside.

4.98 from 94 votes

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Course: bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: Portuguese

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Proving time: 2 55

Total Time: 3 30

Servings:

Calories: 217kcal

Author: Sarah James

Equipment

stand mixer - I use my KitchenAid or knead by hand.
Mixing Bowl
large baking tray / sheet lined with parchment paper
shallow baking tin

Ingredients

600 g very strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
2 tsp fine sea salt / kosher salt
1 tsp caster sugar
1 ½ tsp instant yeast I use Dove's Farm
50 g softened butter 4tbs
350 ml tepid water

Instructions

Make Your Dough

By hand: Mix the flour, softened butter, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add a little water. Mix thoroughly, adding a little water at a time until you have formed a ball of dough.
Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 to 12 minutes.
Check your dough is ready by using the windowpane test.
KitchenAid: Add flour, softened butter, salt, sugar and yeast to the mixing bowl, make a well and add the water.
Mix for 1 to 2 minutes on slow speed number 1.
Turn up to number 2 speed for a further 8 to 10 minutes.
Check your dough is ready by using the windowpane test.

First prove

Place your dough in a large greased bowl and cover.
Leave to rest in a warm place for at least one and a half hours or until doubled in size.

Second Prove

Take the bread dough out of the bowl and give it 3 gentle folds. Taking care not to deflate all the air in the dough.
Place your dough back in the bowl, cover and prove again for another 30 minutes.

Shape Your Dough

Transfer the dough to an oiled work surface and stretch out into a log shape. Divide into 8 or 12 equal pieces, approx 125g for large rolls or 95g to 100g for standard.
Pull each piece into a ball, pinching it together to seal. Then roll between the cup of your hand and the work surface to produce a smooth ball.
Place each dough ball on a baking tray lined with baking parchment or silicone mat and dusted with flour. Cover and leave for 10 minutes.
Dust your work surface with flour and flatten each dough ball in turn so it becomes a circle.
Use the side of your hand or a wooden spoon to press along the centre of each dough circle. You are looking to make a deep crease.
Pull each end of the crease to make an oval shape.
Fold in half along the crease and twist the ends to a point.
Place on a baking tray and press the twisted points of each roll.
Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 240°C / 220°C fan / 475 °F / 425 °F fan and place a shallow baking tin in the bottom of the oven.
Dust risen rolls with flour.

Baking Instructions

Place your baking tray of bread rolls in the oven and then quickly pour a cup of hot water into the pre-heated baking tin. Gently close the oven door.
Bake for 10 minutes at 240°C / 220°C fan / 475 °F / 425 °F fan
Turn your oven down to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425 °F / 400 °F fan and continue baking.
Large rolls: 15 minutes until golden brown.
Standard rolls: 10 minutes until golden brown.
Tip your rolls onto a cooling rack and tap the base of the bread to check it is cooked, it should sound hollow.

Notes

Makes 8 large or 12 standard rolls. Calories are calculated for one standard size Portuguese Roll.
Don’t be tempted to add too much water to the baking tin. One cupful is enough to create steam at the beginning of baking which is all you need. Too much steam throughout baking and you can end up with a thick tough crust.
Like most homemade bread, fresh is best but Portuguese Bread Rolls will keep for a couple of days.
These crusty bread rolls freeze well. Make sure your rolls are fully cooled and place in a freezer bag before freezing for up to three months.
To keep the bread rolls crusty after freezing I would recommend baking from frozen for 5 minutes at 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F / 350 °F fan.
Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.