Portuguese Sausage Bread Roll (Pão com Chouriço)
Pão com chouriço Say it: powng kohng shoh-REE-soo
Pão com chouriço is a beloved Portuguese snack: a soft, wheaty bread roll wrapped around a piece of smoked, paprika-rich chouriço and baked until the crust crackles. It is sold at fairs, festivals and bakeries across Portugal and is best eaten warm, when the sausage has perfumed the crumb and released a little orange fat. The contrast between crisp bread and juicy, garlicky sausage makes it simple, portable and deeply satisfying.
Portuguese Sausage Bread Roll (Pão com Chouriço)
Pão com chouriço
Pronounced powng kohng shoh-REE-soo
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 2 hr 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 2 hr 45 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
Filling and finish
Method
Stir the yeast into 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the lukewarm water in a small bowl and let stand 5–10 minutes, until foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast is dead and the dough will not rise.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky; dust with a little extra flour only if the dough sticks badly. Shape into a ball.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat; cover and let rise in a warm place 1–1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
Pat the chouriço pieces dry and prick each a few times with a fork. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a rectangle about 6 x 4 in (15 x 10 cm). Lay a chouriço piece along one long edge, roll the dough tightly around it, and pinch the seam and ends closed.
Place seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them apart. Cover loosely and let rise 30–40 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Brush the rolls with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Bake 20–25 minutes, until deep golden brown and the rolls sound hollow when tapped underneath.
Cool on a rack 10 minutes before slicing; the chouriço will be very hot.
Regional variants
Some modern bakers enrich the dough with a little milk or butter, or shape the rolls as small round buns; a pinch of smoked paprika can be added to the flour for extra color.
Cook's notes
- Use firm, dry-cured chouriço or Spanish chorizo rather than fresh sausage, so the filling slices neatly and flavors the bread without making it greasy.
- Pinch the seams and ends very well; any gap will let the sausage fat escape and open the roll during baking.
- For a crisp base, bake on a preheated baking stone or upside-down heavy baking sheet.
Serve with
Serve warm as a snack with coffee, beer, or a glass of red wine.
Make ahead and storage
The dough can be made through the first rise, punched down and refrigerated overnight; bring to room temperature before shaping. Baked rolls are best the same day and reheat well in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.
