Portuguese Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. salt
1 c. boiling water
1 pkg. dry yeast or 1 yeast cake
1 c. warm water
6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
6 c. all-purpose flour

Preparation

Put the sugar, salt and shortening into a bowl and add the boiling water.
Cool to lukewarm.
Dissolve the yeast in the 1 cup warm water.
Add to the sugar-shortening mixture.
Add 3 cups flour and beat smooth.
Add most of the remaining flour gradually. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding any remaining flour.
Grease a bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it.
Cover with a towel and place it in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and divide into halves.
Shape each half into a round loaf and place each into an oiled 8-inch round pan.
Cover again and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about another hour.
Bake in a 400\u00b0 oven until nicely browned.