Pan amasado (Chilean homemade kneaded bread) — the flat, fork-pricked bread of Chile

The three most common causes are: too much flour in the dough (makes it dry and compact — the dough should be soft and slightly tacky before kneading), insufficient kneading (you need at least 8 energetic minutes to develop the gluten that gives the tender crumb), or an oven that is too hot (above 210 °C the crust browns before the inside is fully cooked). Also check that your baking powder has not expired: old leavening agent will not generate enough gas and the bread will be flat and dense.

The traditional recipe uses vegetable lard (solid vegetable fat), which gives the tender, slightly flaky crumb it is known for. Unsalted butter is a direct substitute with excellent results and a slightly more dairy flavour. Vegetable oil also works (use 60 ml instead of the 80 g of lard), but the crumb will be slightly more compact and without the richness that solid fat provides. For the most traditional flavour: lard; for a softer, more aromatic roll: butter.

Yes. The stovetop version (similar to the rustic 'tortilla de rescoldo' of the Chilean countryside) is cooked in a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron pan over medium-low heat, covered, for about 12-15 minutes per side until golden. The difference from the oven: the stovetop crust is more golden and uneven without the uniform drying of the oven. The stovetop roll is moister inside and tends to be flatter. Use exactly the same dough and shaping, including the fork pricking; only the cooking method changes.

The fork pricking is the defining technical feature of pan amasado. Without it, the steam produced inside the dough as it heats up has no way out, so the bread puffs up irregularly, creating a large air cavity inside and distorting the surface. The holes create controlled exit channels: steam escapes evenly, the bread holds its characteristic flat shape and the crumb stays uniform throughout. There is also a decorative effect: the grid of holes is the 'score' of pan amasado. Prick generously and without hesitation, going almost all the way through to the base.

Yes, and it is a good idea. After the first rise (the ball of dough resting for 45-60 minutes), wrap it tightly in cling film and refrigerate it. The next day, take it out 20-30 minutes before working it so it comes back to room temperature. Slow overnight fermentation in the cold improves the flavour: the starches hydrate better and the bread turns out slightly more aromatic. The rest of the process (shaping the discs, second rest, pricking and baking) is identical. If you leave it more than 18 hours, the dough may develop a very mild tang — this is normal.

Pan amasado is a Chilean fat-enriched bread: it has lard or butter, rises with baking powder and is shaped into flat discs pricked with a fork; in 2 hours 30 minutes you get 4 rolls with a soft crust and a tender crumb. Easy homemade bread is a loaf of flour, water, salt and baker's yeast: a lean dough at 65% hydration that rises twice and bakes with steam at 230 °C, with a crisp crust and a more open crumb, in about 3 hours. If you want the bread of the Chilean once with avocado or pebre, it is pan amasado; if you want to learn yeast bread, start with the easy homemade loaf.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; rub the lard into the flour until sandy and knead with the warm water into a soft dough that no longer sticks. Let it rest covered for 45-60 minutes, divide into 4 pieces of about 110 g, shape discs of 12-13 cm and 1.5 cm thick and let them rest for 20-25 minutes while the oven heats to 200 °C. Prick them with a fork (6-8 times) and bake until golden; cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes. About 2 and a half hours in total, 30 minutes of work.