Michael's Portuguese Crusty Papo-Secos

1. Measure out all the ingredients in individual dishes.
2. Scoop out about ½ cup of water from the pre-measured amount.
3. Warm the removed water to between 105-115°F.
4. Add the warm water to the sugar and yeast in a small container, stir and let it sit for 10 minutes.
5. In a stand mixer, or large bowl, add in the flour and water-yeast mixture.
6. Warm the remaining water to about 110°F and add that to the mixing bowl and add in the salt.
7. Mix until the dough comes together.
8. Add in the butter and nead the dough for about 10 minutes, in the mixer or by hand until the dough is sticky.
9. Cover the bowl with a towel, place it in the oven and turn on your oven light.
10. Let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
11. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured work surface.
12. Knead the dough, pulling it and stretching it over itself to promote gluten development.
13. Continue for about 5 minutes, then place the dough back into the bowl, and place it back in the oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
14. Remove the dough from the oven and check if the dough is done proofing (stick two floured fingers into the dough up to your knuckle, ff the dough does not spring back, and the indentations remain, the dough is ready to move on to the next stage).
15. On a floured work surface, seperate your dough into about 4.5oz pieces, or the size of your preference.
16. Roll each piece into a round ball, cover the balls with a towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
17. Form each ball into a disc shape using the side of your hand, or the handle of a wooden spoon, form a groove down the center of each ball.
18. Place the buns on a lightly oiled baking pan.
19. Brush each bun with milk and dust with a small amount of flour.
20. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
21. Place an empty rimmed baking sheet onto the bottom rack of the oven.
22. Place your papos secos in the oven in the middle rack.
23. Add 1 cup of water to the rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack to create steam in the oven (this will help the bread develop a crispy crust).
24. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

NOTE:

If you like a drier crusty/powdery/chewy crust, roll the dough on all sides with some flour before the final proofing, this will encourage a dry crust to form, resulting in a more rustic appearance with a chewier crust.

Recipe & Photo Credit: justcookwithmichael.com