Cuban Bread (or Rolls)

Combine warm water, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes until yeast begins to foam. Stir in flour to make a stiff dough. Put the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead dough well, until it is completely smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary.

Place dough into a bowl that you’ve sprinkled with flour. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Cover bowl with a dish towel. Let the dough rise in a draft-free place until it has doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.

Punch down dough. Divide it into 2 or 3 pieces. Shape the dough by stretching and rolling each piece of dough into a long sausage about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place loaves on an ungreased baking sheet which has been sprinkled with cornmeal.

Slash each loaf diagonally across the top 3 or 4 times. Brush the top of the loaves with water.

Place the baking sheet on the lowest rack in a cold oven. Turn oven on and set it to 350 F. Bake for 1 hour or until bread is a deep golden brown.

Makes about 2 medium size loaves.

Note for making rolls: After the dough has risen once, roll small pieces of dough into long snake like logs. Bring ends together and twist. Tuck ends under. Allow to rise again until doubled. Bake on a baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal in a 400 F oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top.