One of the most recognized bread rolls from Mexico is the bolillo, a large torpedo-shaped, crusty bread that can be stuffed with an array of fillings. These rolls are made with a quick preferment (starter) but are quite easy to make. Try them stuffed with chiles rellenos bathed in spicy tomato sauce, or just with your favorite beans topped with queso fresco and cilantro.
When adding wet and cold items to a hot oven, protect the glass door with a dry, clean towel. Set the towel on the glass, then add the ice or water to the pan. This will prevent the glass from shattering.
If you have a small oven, you will have to bake the bolillos in two batches; add ice cubes to the bottom tray before you bake each batch to create steam. Don’t worry if the sides of the bolillos touch as they rise—it’ll be easy to divide them once baked.
Problem solving: if the dough doesn’t release from the sides of the bowl, toss 1 tablespoon of flour at a time and continue kneading until it does (you may have to add several increments of 1 tablespoon flour). The dough will still feel a bit sticky to your fingers but it will no longer stick to the sides of the bowl.
recipe 
yields
Yields 12 bolillos
½ (5-gram) packet (¾ teaspoon) dry yeast
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) sugar
½ cup (4 fluid ounces) warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 cup (110 grams) flour (see note)
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) fine sea salt or table salt
3 (5-gram) packets (4½ teaspoons) dry yeast
7⅔ cups (2 pounds) flour, plus more for working dough
2½ cups (21 fluid ounces) warm water (105-115 degrees), divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20 grams) fine sea salt or table salt
7 ounces (200 grams) starter
Ingredients
For the starter
For the dough
steps
Make the starter:
- Make the starter: In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water, stirring together well. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside.
- Once yeast has foamed, stir in flour mixture to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm space, anywhere from 2 to 4 hours (or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator) or until it has doubled its volume. (Makes 7 ounces or 200 grams.)
Make the dough:
- Combine the yeast and ½ cup of the warm water in a bowl and stir well; let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine the remaining water with the starter and yeast mixture; mix at low speed just until combined. Working a bit at a time, add the flour and salt mixture at low speed; the dough will start coming together. Increase the speed slowly (to prevent the flour from flying everywhere) until you reach a medium-high speed and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and releases from the sides of the bowl (it will still be slightly sticky), about 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough into a large bowl that has been coated with oil; turn dough onto itself and cover with plastic wrap or a clean, damp kitchen towel. Let dough rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. In the meantime, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Once dough has risen, punch it down to release gases and divide it into 12 pieces (about 155 grams or 5½ ounces) each. Roll each into a tight ball and place on prepared sheets. Cover loosely with a clean, damp kitchen towel and allow to rest until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
- Shaping the bolillos: Working one at a time, flatten each ball, forming an oval shape (about 7 inches long and 4 inches wide). Lift one of the long sides of the dough and fold it into the middle of the oval; use your fingertips to press it firmly together in the middle. Now, starting at the seam you just made, roll dough from the middle to the outer edge, until you have a tight roll (about 8 inches long), pressing the seal together well. Use your fingers to give rolls a torpedo shape with slightly tapered tips on each side (the center will be taller than the ends). Repeat the procedure until you have shaped all of the rolls. Place rolls onto parchment-lined sheets and cover with a clean kitchen towel; let rest until doubled in size (about 45 minutes to 1 hour).
- Place baking racks in middle of oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Uncover rolls and sprinkle the tops of each one with flour. Use a bread scorer or a very sharp knife to cut a long slit along the top of each roll. Place a deep metal baking sheet in the bottom of the oven and quickly toss 10 to 12 ice cubes in it. Immediately place baking sheet of rolls on center rack of oven and bake until golden and firm (the bottoms should sound hollow when tapped), 55 to 60 minutes. Halfway through, rotate sheets from front to back and from top to bottom so rolls bake evenly. Transfer bolillos onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
