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Marraqueta
Crusty split bread rolls
Marraqueta: Santiago's crackly split bread roll
Chileans eat more bread than almost anyone, and in Santiago the bread is marraqueta (called pan batido or pan francés in other cities): a crackling, airy roll made of two twin halves, each scored deep so the whole thing breaks into four pieces. It is bought warm from the corner bakery for breakfast and for once, the evening tea, and filled with avocado, cheese or butter. The most common mistake at home is baking without steam: the crust comes out pale and leathery instead of thin and shattering. Chef's tip: press the oiled handle of a wooden spoon right down into each pair of balls, almost to the work surface; a shallow groove disappears as the roll rises.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flourplus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp sugar
- ⅓ oz salt
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 1 tsp vegetable oilfor the spoon handle
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and ⅓ oz salt in a large bowl, add 1 ½ cups lukewarm water and bring together into a rough dough.
Step 2: Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, so a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through.
10 minStep 3: Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size.
60 minStep 4: Knock back and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball and place them in pairs, touching, on a floured baking tray.
Step 5: Rub 1 tsp vegetable oil on the handle of a wooden spoon and press it down hard through the middle of each pair, parallel to the join, so each pair gets a deep groove. Dust with flour.
Step 6: Cover loosely and leave to rise until puffy.
45 minStep 7: Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450°F (400°F fan) with an empty roasting tin on the bottom shelf. Put the bread in and pour a mug of boiling water into the hot tin to make steam; shut the door at once.
2 minStep 8: Bake until deep golden; the rolls should sound hollow when tapped underneath.
20 minStep 9: Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes, until the crust crackles. Eat the same day, broken into its four pieces.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does marraqueta take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 160 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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