Pan De Sal (Bread of Salt) Recipe

 Pan de sal is a Filipino bread/roll.  Despite the name translation, it doesn't taste at all like salt.  In fact it has a slightly sweet flavor.  We were lucky enough to have a few Filipino bakeries in our area, and it's something I grew up with.  I always wanted to learn how to make it, so of course I love the fact that I can turn to the internet for guidance.  I found the following recipe on Pasalang Pinoy, my ingredient list is the same as theirs, but I do some things different from their procedure.



Recipe (makes 24 small rolls):
Approximate time: 2 hours (or less) from beginning to end



Ingredients:
Yeast Team:

•  1 pouch of rapid rise yeast (or equivalent, 2 1/4 teaspoon from the jar)
• 1 1/4 warm milk (I warm mine in the microwave to about 110-120 degrees F)
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Dry Team:

•  2 cups all purpose flour (+1/2 cup more as needed for kneading)
• 2 cups bread flour (or high gluten flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Fats Team:

•  5 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon oil (I usually use vegetable oil)

Crumb Team:

• 1 piece of bread made into fine crumbs

Step By Step Action

1. Add sugar to milk and warm milk to appropriate temperature for rising the yeast.  I will usually warm it in my microwave in 30-45 second intervals mixing it until it's about 115 degrees F, by this time the sugar has usually dissolved, if not just stir it some more.
2. Add the yeast to the warm milk and sugar mixture, I set a timer for 10 minutes and get everything else ready.
3. Combine the dry team together, the all purpose flour, bread flour, baking powder, and salt.  I stir it or mix it with my hands so everything is evenly distributed.
4. In a separate bowl put the egg and oil, then mix them together, and set aside until milk is ready.
5. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove, and set aside until milk is ready.
6. Once the milk is ready, I first add the egg and oil mixture and the butter, stir/mix the bowl a bit, then add the milk mixture.  Stir/mix until everything is well combined.  If the mixture is too sticky to knead, add a little more flour at a time until your dough is not too sticky to handle and knead.
7. Knead on a flat, clean surface for about 10 minutes, or use your mixer (maybe about 5-7 minutes will do, I've made this recipe more by hand).
8. Place dough back in the mixing bowl, cover with a slightly damp towel, and let it rise in a warm spot in your kitchen for 1 hour.
9. If you haven't made your bread crumbs, now would be a good time.  I find that one slice of bread is more than enough crumbs for my needs.
10. After the hour divide the dough into 24 pieces (I usually cut in half, then cut each half into 4, then roll that out and cut into 6 pieces.  Do that for everything and you get roughly 24 even pieces of dough).
11. Shape the dough as you like, I will usually roll them into a ball on the board I'm using, then roll them into an oval shape.
12. Dust (or roll) each piece in the bread crumbs and place them on a baking/cookie sheet  lined with parchment or Silpat (something like that), 4 rows of 6.
13. Set the oven to 375 Degrees F with a rack in the center, and set the dough rest for another 10-15 minutes while the oven heats up.
14. When ready bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes.  If your oven heats unevenly rotate the pan once half way through.
15. They should be a nice golden brown on the top and a bit pale on the sides when done.  Some also probably baked into their neighbors which is totally okay!  I'd wait about 5 or so minutes before devouring!

 

After they are fully cooled you can place them in an airtight container, like a plastic tupperware or gallon freezer bag.  I've had them sit outside (airtight container, not in the fridge) for a week without problems.  That's me, if you want to toss it in the fridge, go for it.

These are definitely tasty when they are still warm out of the oven, but they also toast up nicely afterwards.  Split them while they're warm and spread with a little butter... mmmmm.  Serve with a meal or make it a meal!  I love making peanut butter sandwiches with pan de sal, or put them in the toaster oven with ham and cheese.  Make a breakfast sandwich too, egg with your choice of breakfast meat (sausage, bacon, spam, omg anything!).  If you're familiar with chicken adobo (another Filipino dish), I like to the shred the chicken with a little bit of the adobo sauce and make myself a little shredded chicken adobo sandwich lol.  Probably another future post, chicken adobo :).  Sorry if I'm getting nuts, I just love this bread so much.

My baby girl also loves it!  Here she is at 9 months (taken in Feb. 2012)

Just the first of many pan de sal she has eaten, and will eat in the future I'm sure.