Marraquetas (French Bread Rolls)

Bolivian-style marraquetas are crusty and beautifully colored on the outside, buttery soft and chewy on the inside. They are a symbol of identity and pride for Bolivians, especially for the people of La Paz, where these French bread rolls are from.

Marraquetas are found in homes from breakfast to dinner. They are the perfect accompaniment to all meals.

History of Bolivian-Style Marraquetas

There are different versions of the origin of the marraqueta in Bolivia, but they all date back to the beginning of the 20th century.

One of the versions rescued by the Municipal Council corresponds to the historian Florencia Durán, who points out that the marraqueta was introduced by the Greek baker Michel Jorge Callisperis, who arrived in 1908 in Chulumani, in the subtropical area of ​​Los Yungas, and then migrated to La Paz with his recipe.

Another version is from the historian Antonio Paredes Candia, who attributes the origin of the bread to the Danes Andrés and Wigo Rasmussen, experts in baking and pastry making who arrived in La Paz in the 1920s.

The bread later became popular in the city thanks to the Figliozzi company, owned by a family of Italian migrants, and is now part of the daily consumption in the city of La Paz.

Our Recipe

Marraquetas have few and simple ingredients. Flour, salt, yeast, and water.

Our recipe is an adaptation to this simple recipe that works really well in the altitudes of the city of La Paz (3,650m - 11,975ft) above sea level).

A chef from Bolivia recommended using a little bit of lard or shortening in the dough, and some sugar to activate the yeast. And those are the 2 extra ingredients in our recipe. You can try the recipe like it is, or omit those 2 ingredients and see how they turn out.

Ingredients

• Flour
• Water
• Fast-rise yeast
• Sugar
• Salt

How to make marraquetas

• Mix water, sugar, and yeast
• In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and lard

• Add yeast mixture and stir together until it forms a ball
• Knead the dough until soft
• Let it rise until it double in size

• Divide the dough and shape into balls
• Roll out each ball

• Fold the dough into a log
• Pinch where the seams meet
• To taper the ends, place your hands on the outside edges of the dough and roll with a little bit of pressure

• Cover the marraquetas and let them rise until double its size

• Slash each marraqueta in the center with a sharp knife. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the marraquetas
• Bake for about 20 minutes

How to serve marraquetas

• Marraquetas are served with coffee first thing in the morning with a fried egg, a slice of fresh cheese, or mashed avocado.
• At noon, dip these bread rolls in this spicy llajua as an appetizer.
• Or have it with this traditional Bolivian peanut soup.

How to store Marraquetas

1. Freeze them: place them in a freezer bag and seal them (this will help prevent freezer burn). When you're ready to eat, take them out and put them in the oven to revive them.
2. Countertop: Keep them in a plastic bag (or well-sealed plastic wrap) for about 4 to 5 days if you live in a dry climate.

This recipe was made in celebration of World Bread Day.

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Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Marraquetas (French Bread Rolls)

Bolivian-style marraquetas are crusty and beautifully colored on the outside, buttery soft and chewy on the inside. They are a symbol of identity and pride for Bolivians.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Resting Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: Bolivian

Servings: 0

Calories: 118kcal

Author: Lizet Bowen

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups flour (420g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lard or shortening optional
• 1 ¼ cup lukewarm water (360ml)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons fast-rise yeast

Instructions

• Add yeast and sugar to water; mix and let stand until it bubbles, about 5 minutes.
• In a big mixing bowl, add flour, salt, and lard. Add yeast mixture and stir together until it forms a ball.
• Turn the dough on a flat surface and knead it for 5 minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough. Do not add more flour than needed.
• Oil a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and cover; let it rise in a warm environment for about an hour or until doubled in size.
• Divide the dough into 15 equal parts and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it stand for 5 minutes.
• How to shape marraquetas: Work with one piece of dough at a time. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, then use your fingers to fold the dough into a log. Pinch where the seams meet.
• To taper the ends, place your hands on the outside edges of the dough and roll with a little bit of pressure.
• Place marraquetas on baking sheets, cover them, and let them rest until doubled in size. About 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475F (246C) if you don’t have a convection oven and 450F (232C) for a convection oven. This takes between 15 to 20 minutes.
• Fill a baking pan halfway with water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Slash each marraqueta in the center with a sharp knife. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the marraquetas.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, but check after 15 minutes. They should be golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool in a cooling rack.

Nutrition

Serving: 51g | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.04g | Protein: 3.23g | Fat: 1.18g