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Pistolets
Pistolets: round, crusty Belgian Sunday-morning rolls with a split top
In Brussels and all over Belgium, someone in the family goes to the bakery early on Sunday morning to bring home a paper bag of warm pistolets, the small round rolls with a split down the middle. They are eaten at a long breakfast with butter, jam, chocolate spread, cheese and boiled eggs. The crust shatters and the crumb is light and open. The common mistake is baking in a dry oven, which gives a dull, thick crust; a pan of boiling water in the oven makes the thin, crackly bakery crust. Chef's tip: press the split with a floured wooden spoon handle right after shaping, not just before baking, and it opens cleanly in the oven.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flourplus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp sugar
- ⅓ oz salt
- 1 ¼ cups waterlukewarm
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and ⅓ oz salt, add 1 ¼ cups water and 1 tbsp sunflower oil and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Step 3: Knock back, divide into 8 pieces and shape each into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath.
Step 4: Dust the balls with flour and press a floured wooden spoon handle firmly across the middle of each, almost to the bottom. Set them split side down on a floured cloth, cover and prove for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Heat the oven to 450°F (400°F fan) with a baking tray inside and a roasting tin on the bottom shelf.
Step 6: Turn the rolls split side up onto the hot tray, pour a mug of boiling water into the roasting tin and shut the door quickly.
Step 7: Bake for 18–20 minutes, until deep golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Freeze extras and refresh in a hot oven for 5 minutes.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pistolets take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- 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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