Papo Secos (Portuguese Rolls)
Portugal is a land rich in culture, history, and art, but one of its most delightful treasures is its bread. Hell, they even have a bread museum (Museu do Pão), which I highly recommend visiting if you have the chance! Every time we visit my wife’s family in Portugal, I prepare myself for a delightful carb feast. Bread is woven into every meal—breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner—each course celebrated with the country’s exceptional bread. Among the most beloved varieties is Papo Secos, renowned for its crispy crust and airy interior. Making Papo Secos is an immersive experience into Portuguese culture and a beautiful way to connect with family. These rolls, with their golden, crunchy exterior and airy center, are the quintessential accompaniment to a range of Portuguese dishes. They embody the warmth of home and the richness of Portuguese tradition, transforming any meal into a celebration of heritage and togetherness.
Jump to RecipeWhy Did I Make These in America?
As I mentioned, we certainly always get our fill of Papo Secos each time we visit Portugal. So, why bake them now, far from the familiar Portuguese bakeries? Well, have I mentioned just how utterly delectable this bread is? That’s reason enough!
But there’s more to this decision than just my love for Papo Secos. My ninety-year-old grandmother-in-law has been staying with us here in America for the past three months. This is her first visit to the USA, and it’s been an exciting whirlwind of new cultural experiences for her. She’s been embracing every moment of this grand adventure, and I wanted to offer her a comforting taste of home. Since Papo Secos are such a significant part of her Portuguese heritage, the bar was set high. After several hours of studying countless recipes and techniques, I crafted a version that I hoped would be both accessible and ~hopefully~ successful. It’s a small gesture, but one filled with love and respect for her rich cultural background.
So…how did she respond? With a moment I’ll cherish forever. Lifting a Papo Seco up to examine it, she gently squeezed the crunchy exterior and then tore the roll in half. As she looked at the soft, airy interior, she quietly uttered, “maravilhoso.” Then, with a satisfied smile, she took a bite.
It’s a memory I’ll hold dear and a moment that has solidified my commitment to making this recipe a cherished part of our family traditions. Every time I bake Papo Secos from now on, it will be a reminder of that heartfelt connection and the joy of sharing a piece of home with someone special.
How Do You Make the Avo Approved Papo Secos?
Papo Secos (Portuguese Rolls)
Course: Breakfast, SnacksCuisine: PortugueseDifficulty: Medium10
rolls3
hours30
minutes20
minutes260
kcal3
hours50
minutesThese freshly baked Papo secos will instantly transport you to Portugal as if you live at the padaria! Enjoy with a cup of coffee, with some cheese or jam, or even make a bifana with some sliced pork!
Ingredients
- Activating the Yeast
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (Fleischmann’s ActiveDry Yeast®)
1/2 cup warm water (~105°F)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- Papo Secos
5 cups bread flour (have 1/2 cup extra if needed and for dusting)
1 1/2 cup warm water (~105°F)
2 Tbsp butter (room temperature or pre-melted)
1 Tbsp salt
Directions
- Activate the Yeast
- To a stand mixer bowl, lightly whisk together the water, yeast, and sugar until combined.
- Let sit for 10 minutes until noticeably puffed up and foamy.
- Prepare the Papo Secos Dough
- To the activated yeast, add 1 cup of the bread flour, followed by the warm water and butter. Using the bread hook attachment, stir on low until all ingredients are well-mixed. Slowly add the remainder of the bread flour, continuing to stir on low until a homogenous dough forms (2-3 minutes).
- Stop stirring, remove the dough hook (scraping any dough that is sticking to the attachment off back into the bowl), and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, allowing to sit for 30 minutes.
- Once dough has almost doubled in size, add the salt and mix on low for 5 minutes. The dough will likely appear stickier as you continue to mix it – trust the process.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 2 minutes. Depending on the humidity of the kitchen/climate, the dough may remain sticky. The goal is to have the dough pulling away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. If this does not occur after two minutes, add additional bread flour 1 Tbsp at a time, kneading for another minute in-between additions to check whether the desired consistency has been achieved.
- Grease a large bowl with shortening or a small amount of oil.
- Transfer dough to greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm, draft-free area for ~1 hour, allowing the dough to double in size.
- Once doubled in size, reach to the bottom of the greased bowl, and pull the dough up from the bottom and fold it over. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat this fold-over three more times.
- Cover and let the dough proof a second time until doubled in size again – this time should only be about 30 minutes.
- Once doubled in size, remove the dough from the bowl and onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Roll the dough into a log of equal thickness throughout, before dividing it into 10 evenly sized pieces.
- With your hand cupped like a cage over a single piece at a time, rotate the dough quickly on the work surface, rolling into a uniform ball.
- Once all 10 balls are formed, place them on a lightly floured, parchment paper lined-baking sheet (or two). Cover with a tea towel once again, and allow to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
- After the rolls have puffed up slightly during the 15 minute rest time, use a dowel or a small wooden spatula handle to press a line through the center of each roll, giving the distinct papo secos shape. Note: press nearly to the bottom of each roll – don’t go too shallow!
- Cover the indented rolls one last time with the tea towel, and allow to rest in the warm place for 30-60 minutes, or until the rolls have doubled in size.
- While the rolls are resting, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Once doubled in size, place the baking trays in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once fully baked, allow the rolls to cool on a drying rack. To achieve the classic papo secos hard exterior and soft interior texture, you can leave the rolls out for an additional 2-3 hours before placing in sealed containers/bags. Enjoy!
Notes
- When adding additional flour during step 4, I have needed to add anywhere between 0 and 4 additional tablespoons depending on the season/humidity within the kitchen!
- When baking the papo secos, you can also add a tray of water to the bottom of the oven to produce steam if you find your rolls are coming out too dry.
- These are perfect for bifanas – sandwiches with marinated pork. I personally like to make what I call “Bifana Americanas” where I put smoked pork (like the smoked country style ribs) on these rolls with a little mayonnaise, tomato, lettuce, and a fried egg!
