Pan Isleta (Isleta Bread)

 
Pan Isleta (Isleta Bread)

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup warm water (105°-115°F) 1 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon shortening 5 cups flour, approximately
1/4 teaspoon honey

Directions

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. Place shortening, honey, and salt in a large mixing bowl and add hot water. Stir to dissolve shortening and cool to room temperature. When shortening mixture has cooled to room termperature, add yeast mixture.
Gradually add flour to mixture until a moderately firm dough has been formed. Knead dough on a lightly floured board until it is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until it is double in size.* Punch dough down, knead, and allow to double in size agian. Divide dough into two equal parts and shape each into a flat circle approximately 8 inches in diameter. Fold the circle almost in half, allowing the bottom half to extend beyond the top half by about 1 inch. Using a sharp knife, slash the dough twice, dividing the loaf partially into thirds. Place the dough into two greased, 9-inch pie plates, arranging the loaf so that the slashes are separated, giving a crescent effect to the loaf. Cover and allow dough to rise again unti it is doubled in size. Place a shallow pan of water on bottom rack of oven. Place the loaves in the oven so that neither is directly above the water. Bake loaves in a 350�F oven for 1 hour.
Yeast dough should be allowed to rise in a warm locatin. It should never be allowed to rise in a heated oven. Dough is double in size when an indentation remains after a finger has been inserted into dough and removed.

Yield: 2 loaves Baking Time: 1 hour

Temperature: 35°F Freezes Well