Portuguese Cornbread

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package fast rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup hot water (125 f to 130 f.)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups bread flour
• olive oil (for greasing pan)

Recipe

• 1 in stand mixer bowl, fitted with dough hook attachment, combine 1 cup of the cornmeal, pepper and salt.
• 2 add 1 cup boiling water and mix until smooth. let cool to 120°f (about 20 minutes).
• 3 mix in yeast and sugar, then 1/4 cup hot water and 1 tablespoon oil.
• 4 mix in remaining 1/2 cup cornmeal.
• 5 add 1 cup bread flour and mix until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• 6 cover bowl with damp towel and let dough rise in warm, draft-free area until puffy. ( about 45 minutes).
• 7 grease 9-inch metal pie pan with oil.
• 8 knead enough of the remaining bread flour into dough to make it nonsticky. knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• 9 form dough into a ball and place in pan.
• 10 flatten to fill bottom of pan, cover with towel and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled, about 50 minutes.
• 11 preheat oven to 350°f
• 12 score top of bread in ticktacktoe pattern.
• 13 bake until bread is light brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 45 minutes.
• 14 remove from pan; cool on rack.
• 15 serve warm or at room temperature. (can be made 1 day ahead. cool. wrap tightly. before serving, wrap in foil and warm in 350°f oven 15 minutes).