Bolo Lêvedo

“These are sweet pancake-like breads from the Azores."
Ingredients

1 (.25) envelope dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
Also (add raisins and lemon zest!)

Preparation

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of the sugar. Set aside to ferment, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the yeast mixture to a large bowl, and stir in the sugar, eggs, salt, flour, and milk until the dough comes together. Stir in the melted butter, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Cover dough with a cloth and set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes
Divide dough into about 15 to 20 pieces, and shape them into flat round cakes about 1/2 inch thick. Place a cloth on the table and dust it with flour. Arrange the cakes on the cloth, allowing space for rising. Allow them to set for 1 1/2 hours.
Place the cakes in a heavy ungreased skillet, and cook over low heat. Fry the cakes on each side until golden.


Bolo Lêvedo
Portugal's volcanic archipelago is home to addictively sweet and chewy muffins.

Visitors flock to the Azores archipelago off Portugal’s coast in search of pristine natural beauty. The town of Furnas on Sao Miguel, one of nine major Azorean islands, is known for two things. Travelers from around the world sojourn to this volcanic hotspot to bask in the natural springs. They also take to the bolo lêvedo pretty quickly.

This local specialty is one of the few distinct foods to come out of the Azores. Bakers across the island fashion these versatile muffins to resemble bigger, sweeter, chewier cousins of the English muffin. Restaurants sandwich seasoned Azorean steak or hamburgers between a sliced bolo lêvedo, while families buy bags fresh from the bakery to enjoy with jam and cheese at breakfast. Beloved by residents and visitors alike, they should come with a warning: As one local attested, the more frequently you enjoy these round muffins, the more likely you are to begin looking like them.
Need to Know

Portuguese communities on the East Coast of the United States have also popularized the use of the bolo lêvedo in sandwich shops around Fall River, New Bedford & Cape Cod.