1 cup milk or
* 1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk plus one half cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot tap water
2 and 1/4 teaspoons SAF Brand yeast, room temperature
Or
1 envelope Rapid Rise Fleischmann’s Yeast
1/4 cup warm water
5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
*********************************
The shape of the bread inspired the name “Peineta”, which means a large, fancy comb.
This recipe was adapted by Paulette Motzko from one taken from one of my favorite Mexican cooking books by Barbara Hansen entitled “Mexican Cookery” from HP Books.
I have a photo shoot I have do go and want to do to this evening, but the easy directions will be added soon.
Text written by and high definition photography by Paulette L Motzko, Copyright March 2016.
How To:
1. Scald milk by heating to just under boiling point, about 180 degrees in the microwave, until you see bubbles on the milk.
2. Pour hot scalded milk over the oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a large bowl – or mixing bowl if you’re using one like I did.
3. Stir until sugar is dissolved and stir in 3/4 cup hot tap water.
4. Cool to lukewarm.
5. Stir in a pinch of sugar and yeast into 1/4 cup warm water and let stand until yeast is softened.
6. Beat in 2 cups flour into cooled milk mixture and beat in softened yeast and egg.
7. Adding in enough flour to make a stiff dough.
8. Turn out into a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, at least 10 minutes.
9. Put dough ball in a clean bowl or plastic container and grease container before putting dough in.
Cover with a dry lint free kitchen towel.
Let stand in a warm place free from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour or less- if using rapid rise yeast.
Gently punch down the dough. Turn out into a very lightly floured surface.
10. Let the dough rest while greasing one large and one small baking sheet.
11. Divide the dough into three pieces with a pizza cutter.
12. Roll each piece of dough into a 9-inch Circle.
I put parchment paper inside 3 round pans pie pan size to bake the bread loaves on.
13. Use sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife to make 3/4 inch long cuts every half inch around the edge of the circle.
14. Fold each circle in half, wetting the tops of the breads by brushing with a tiny bit of water so the folded half of dough will stay folded and not lay flat during baking! If you have a nice moist dough, then you won’t need to wet it.
Where bread baking is concerned it’s better to have a moist dough rather than a dry one. The more flour you work into the dough, the dryer it’s going to be and less moist the crumb will be too.
15. Bring the cuts in the bottom edge of the dough even with the middle of the bottom round of dough.
16. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
17. Place loaves on prepared baking sheet and one loaf on prepared small baking sheet.
(Or you can bake each comb bread on it’s own little round pan like I did.)
18. Cover with a towel and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size about 45 minutes – depending on what kind of yeast you used.
19. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
20. Place comb breads in preheated oven and bake 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped on top.
21. Move breads from baking sheet after cooled slightly on sheet, then let cool on baking racks, or a clean, lint-free kitchen towel. The towel has the advantage a big something you can wrap the bread in so it doesn’t dry out. And you can cut your bread slices directly on it.
Makes three gorgeous, soft- crusted, white, beautiful loaves to enjoy and give away.
This makes awesome French toast when sliced about 2 inches thick. Also you can Flavour these with fresh orange zest, or fresh lemon zest, or a really really good quality cinnamon and make a swirl out of it even adding Mexican chocolate to it like I did once.
This bread has put smiles on more people’s faces than anyone I’ve ever made, which is why I updated the recipe and we released it again.
Paulette (Polly) Motzko
Text written by Paulette Motzko and recipe adapted from original recipe Peineta Comb Bread by Barbara Hansen in her great book called “Mexican Cookery”
March 12th, 2016
2:11 p.m.
Updated on April 30th, 2016
11:40 a.m.
Cooking Up a Storm With Miss Polly 