Bánh mì que

A slender breadstick with a crust that cracks under the tooth to reveal a smooth pâté heart. The smell of warm bread mingles with the heat of fresh chili and the freshness of cilantro.

• Prep time: 110 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 470
• Protein: 12 g
• Carbs: 60 g
• Fat: 20 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 180 ml Mineral water ( lukewarm )
• 10 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 1 tsp Gray sea salt
• 150 g Pork liver pâté ( at room temperature )
• 30 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 1 piece Fresh cilantro ( leaves only )
• 2 piece Thai chili ( finely sliced )
• 1 tbsp soy sauce optional
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 2 tbsp Chi Chuong Sauce ( at room temperature )

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough

   In the mixer bowl, mix the flour, warm water, salt, and crumbled yeast. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

2. First rise

   Cover with a damp cloth and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough should double in volume and be well puffed.

3. Shaping the sticks

   Degas the dough with your fist. Divide into small 40g portions. Roll them to form very thin sticks about 20 cm long. Place them on a tray and let rise for another 30 minutes.

4. Steam baking

   Preheat the oven to 230°C with a drip pan filled with water at the bottom. Lightly score the sticks lengthwise. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden and sounds hollow.

5. Filling

   Open the warm breads on one side. Generously spread with butter then liver pâté. Add the Chí Chương sauce, chili slices, and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately while it's crispy.

Chef's tips

• Steam in the oven is key: without it, the crust will be hard and dull instead of light and brittle.
• Don't overfill the bread; Bánh mì que must remain thin to appreciate the contrast in textures.

Storage

Store the dry breadsticks in a paper bag. To reheat, place them for 2 minutes in a very hot oven; they will regain all their crispiness.