Bolillos

There are many excellent types of bread to eat at breakfast time - buttery biscuits that melt in your mouth, flaky scones with a dusting of sugar, cinnamon rolls swaddled in icing that leave you no choice but to spend the rest of the day on the sofa, recovering.

But sometimes you just want something simple. A hearty bread that will stand up to homemade preserves or even a wedge of cheese. Something without sugar, that could potentially transition to a sandwich if need be.

{bolillos}

For those times, I recommend bolillos. They are the most basic form of bread, with flour, water, salt, yeast and a pinch of sugar. There is something comforting about a food whose ingredients I can count on one hand. They emerge from the oven browned and rustic, with a crisp crust and a soft interior. This bread doesn't steal the show, but it's a perfect back up dancer.

{bread, dates}

Bolillos (makes 16 - 20 rolls, from Prairie Home Breads)

1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 cup lukewarm water
6 - 6 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups lukewarm water

* In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup lukewarm water and set aside to proof (see if it gets foamy), about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine 5 cups of the flour with the salt and sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture and the additional 2 cups lukewarm water and stir until the dough forms a ball (I do this in my stand mixer, but you can also do it by hand with a wooden spoon).

* Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 - 8 minutes, adding more flour if the dough gets too sticky to handle. The dough should be nice and smooth when you're done. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Because I wanted the rolls for breakfast, I did this the night before, popped it in the fridge overnight and then pulled it out when I woke up in the morning to let it warm up a bit).

* Grease two baking sheets and set aside (or use your Silpat). Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half and divide each half into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten it with your hand into a 4 inch oblong football shape. Place about one inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, cover with slightly damp kitchen towels and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (I find rolls this large to be slightly intimidating at breakfast time, so I made mine a bit smaller and left them round instead of oblong).

* Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. With a serrated knife, cut a 1 inch deep slash down the center of each roll. Brush with canola oil, if desired (I didn't bother). Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.