VIETNAMESE BAGUETTE
The Vietnamese baguette, known as “bánh mì,” is a beloved culinary creation that reflects the fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisines. It consists of a crisp and airy baguette, typically filled with a variety of ingredients such as grilled meats, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and chili peppers.
Ingredients:
400 g strong flour
10 g dry yeast
280 ml of warm water
12g sugar
4 g of salt
Preparation:
1. We prepare the bread. We add 10 g of dry yeast to 280 ml of warm water, stir well and let it rest for 5 minutes. In the mixer bowl we have 400 g of strong flour to which we are going to add 12 g of sugar and 4 g of salt, mix and pour in the water with the yeast. We knead for 5 minutes with the dough hook, starting with a low speed and increasing to a medium speed. We should have a slightly sticky but firm dough. We paint the bowl with oil, form a ball and put it in the bowl, paint the ball with a little oil, cover and let it rest for a couple of hours or until it doubles in volume.
2. After time we deflate the dough, flour the work surface and turn the ball over. We cut 6 portions of more or less the same size, about 100 g will be fine. We pour it over and let it rest, covered with oil-painted film, until it doubles in volume, between 1 and 2 hours.
3. Flour the work surface and roll out the balls with the rolling pin. We have to give it an oval shape. We fold at the ends and roll downwards while pressing on the sides. We tighten the joint and let it rise again until it doubles in volume, between 1 and 2 hours again.
4. We preheat the oven to 240 ºC. We make a lengthwise cut on our Vietnamese baguettes with a knife, and spray a little water on them. We pour water into a tray at the bottom of the oven to create steam. Next we add the baguettes and let them bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they are golden. Ready!
