>> Narrator: Warm.

Cozy.

Delicious.

Breakfast is my favorite meal.

I could eat it all day.

In Oaxaca, I visit an art school where magical creatures are being created.

And a hearty breakfast is served to all.

In my kitchen, I'm whipping up an Oaxacan breakfast for my crew.

>> The satisfaction of fresh-made bread at home is so gigantic.

>> Narrator: Fluffy, puffy pan de yema.

Satisfying refried beans, Oaxaca style.

Scrumptious eggs in salsa martajada.

This breakfast is the best reason to get out of bed.

>> Is it your favorite meal?

>> Depends what it is, if it's stuff like this, definitely breakfast.

>> Yeah.

>> Aw!

♪ ♪ >> Pati's Mexican Table is made possible by: >> Some things are always there for you.

Like your alarm clock, right on time.

Your parking space.

Seriously?

Girl's night, always there.

And avocados from Mexico.

They're always there because they're fresh all year round.

>> ♪ Avocados from Mexico >> La Costeña, por sabor!

Taste that transcends.

More information at mexicorico.com Over 40 years, bringing authentic Latin American flavors to your table.

Tropical Cheese.

>> The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food.

Mexbest.

The National Agricultural Council.

♪ epic music plays ♪ >> I love breakfast!

It's my favorite meal of the day.

We recently got back from Oaxaca and I learned how to make this Oaxacan style breakfast, it's so messy and delicious and I'll be making it every Saturday.

I'm gonna start with a pan de yema.

The pan de yema is the spongey delicious bread that translates to "yolk bread", 'cause it has a lot of yolks.

So I'm starting with 1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water, because you want the yeast to react, and I have 3 packs of active yeast granules that I'm just gonna stir in here, and I'm also adding a teaspoon of sugar, that'll help activate the yeast, and I'm just gonna gently stir, it's gonna take a few minutes.

That's good, so you can see how the color of the water changed, and then I'm gonna add 1 cup of flour, mix it up.

After doing so many yeast-based breads, I've learned that you have to be patient, give it time, but mostly yeast needs to find its own space in the kitchen.

You have to find a little corner that's the warmest area of your kitchen where there are no drafts of wind, and where it can just leisurely take its time and rise.

So I'm gonna cover it with a dry, clean kitchen towel so the yeast can breathe, but it can also rise.

I started one earlier.

As you can see, it's already very frothy and bubbly on top which is exactly what we wanted so we're ready to start the dough.

I'm going to use 11 eggs.

2 whole eggs, and 9 egg yolks, so I'm gonna separate my eggs.

I love pan de yema because it can go savory and it can go sweet, and it is everywhere in Oaxaca, and they eat it with everything, but mostly they use it to dunk in hot Mexican chocolate, and it is so delicious, you'll see how beautiful it is when it's ready.

The first time I ate pan de yema we were in a tiny little fonda and they brought the Mexican hot chocolate and right before I was gonna take my first sip, the waitress stopped me and said "you can't drink your chocolate without pan de yema", and she was like staring at me waiting for me to dunk it and eat it.

She made sure that I was doing the pan de yema with chocolate the right way, because there is a way, I'll show you the way.

And let me rinse my hands.

I'm gonna start my dough with 1 cup of unsalted butter that I already had at room temperature.

I'm gonna beat the butter with 2/3 cups of sugar over medium speed.

So once the butter is nice and creamy, add that yeast mixture.

Mix over low speed, and add the egg yolks.

I love baking bread, and there's something really special about making yeast-based bread because I feel like it leaves such beautiful fragrance and it makes home feel even more homey.

Add two more eggs, including the egg whites.

I'm adding a pinch of salt.

Now add 5 cups of flour.

And the last one.

Once it's nice and mixed, I'm going to change my paddle attachment for the hook attachment.

It's going to beat for 10 minutes - until most of the stickiness has gone away and we have nice smooth elastic dough.

Over medium speed.

You have to keep an eye on your mixer, it really moves a lot when it has so much dough.

In another minute it would be dancing its way to the floor, so don't ever put it on the edge.

You know that the dough is ready when it's all wrapped around the hook.

So you see how elastic it is, and it's shiny.

It is less sticky than before, but it's still sticky.

(Laughs) feels really nice.

I have a bowl here that I already buttered.

We're gonna put it right in here.

It is shiny and elastic and just beautiful dough.

Cover with a cloth towel and put it in its favorite place, right in that corner which is super warm and toasty for an hour or until the dough doubles in size.

We are going to make Oaxaca style refried beans, and they're so delicious like everything in this breakfast.

I have a pound of beans, and I'm just gonna put them straight into this pot, I've already rinsed and drained them.

Cut 1 white onion in half, I'm gonna throw it in here, I'm gonna cover this generously with water.

So now I'm gonna bring this to a rolling boil, and then I'll cover it, reduce the heat to low, and cook it for about an hour or until the beans are completely soft.

>> Narrator: Mexico's state of Oaxaca is known the world over for its amazing art.

The small town of San Martin Tilcajete is famous for the art of the Alebrijes.

Alebrijes are brightly covered wooden sculptures of fantastical creatures.

I recently visited the art school of Jacobo and Maria Angeles where they oversee a community of over 70 artists.

>> How do you decide what shape it's going to be?

>> Depends the form of the wood is the expression we use.

>> So you flow with what you see.

>> Yes.

>> Narrator: The goal of the school is to preserve and represent the Zapotec culture through the artwork and figures created by their students.

>> This is my animal protector.

>> Narrator: And for Jacobo, that includes performing ritual blessings for spirit animals.

>> So we're finding out which is my animal spirit.

>> It's my birthday today!

>> I get doubly blessed then, right?

>> Okay, so the monkey symbolizes - >> The arts.

>> Oh, I like it!

>> That is so true!

>> Thank you!

>> Narrator: Jacobo's wife Maria and her team are in charge of meals here.

Feeding 70 artists, you can imagine breakfast is a big undertaking.

>> Oh, I love the smell!

It's like a liver and egg terrine of sorts cooked in a tomato cumin broth.

>> Since they're feeding 75 people everyday for breakfast and lunch, this is the amount of masa.

A little more sauce.

>> Mmm.

This is incredibly tasting, and with the fresh tortillas.

>> Narrator: Jacobo and Maria have been running the school for almost 20 years, which has a lasting positive impact on the local community.

These are not only students, but hired hands given training to learn trade skills that they might use in future careers.

>> How many people do you employ in the studio?

>> The work is so incredibly meticulous.

What does it feel like when you're finally done?

>> I'm so moved, everything is so beautiful and I'm feeling blessed and so happy to have learned so much about you.

>> Thank you!

>> Thank you Jacobo.

>> The beans are cooked.

Mmm.

They're sort of inky.

They're super soft, but not seasoned yet, so add 1 tablespoon of salt.

I like to add the salt at this stage, when the beans are already cooked and soft, because if you add the salt too early it can toughen the beans and make it harder for them to cook fast.

Then I'm gonna add a couple sprigs of fresh epazote.

The combination of black beans and epazote is as classic as classic goes for Mexico.

Now they're just gonna cook for 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile I think the dough has to be ready.

So beautiful!

It more than doubled, it's like the puffiest thing ever!

Now I'm gonna punch it down which feels good.

>> Ah.

That feels good!

Just punch it down.

Divide this in two... and then I'm gonna divide this into two again, same thing here.

And then again!

So we're making 16 balls of dough, and now I'm just gonna try to shape them, it doesn't have to be perfect but just cute little balls.

Now I am gonna let these balls of dough rise anywhere from 45 minutes to another hour but it is worth it.

Turn off the beans 'cause they've cooked enough.

I'm gonna remove this piece of epazote, and if I can fish the onion I'm also gonna fish it out.

So I'm gonna season my beans with avocado leaves and chile de arbol.

I have my comal here preheated over low to low-medium heat.

Now we all know and love avocados, but avocado leaves?

They're incredible!

You can buy them dried in packs, and they smell just a little grassy, but when you toast them they become really fragrant and the taste is incredible, a little bit like licorice, but very light and very herby.

So I have the chiles de arbol and I'm just removing the stems.

I don't want my leaves to burn.

I can smell the avocado leaf fragrance, and the chiles smell fiesty.

Okay, so removing these from here.

Add the cooked beans into a blender, plus 1.5 cups of cooking broth.

I was talking to a friend and I was saying "I love being a woman in a home full of boys, they spoil me, they're so loving", and she said "Oh enjoy it, because they'll be gone and then they're gonna hang out in their girlfriend's homes so you're gonna be lonely!"

I was like "Thanks..." (laughs) but that's why I'm working so hard cooking such amazing things 'cause I'm hoping that they're gonna want to bring the girlfriends and her family and friends and everybody to eat here!

You want to be where the good food is, right?

Now I'm adding the chiles that I toasted and the avocado leaves.

While these beans cool a little bit I'm going to chop a half cup of onion to season those beans a little more.

The secret to really good homemade beans is to not be afraid of making home cooked beans!

And because we're going full Oaxaca here I'm using lard, 2 tablespoons, but you could use oil, you could use butter.

I have my pot over medium heat, once the lard is all melted we're going to add the onion but we don't want a mediocre sizzle in there when we add the onion, we want the onion to react.

That's the sizzle we want!

While that onion softens, I'm gonna puree these beans, but I'm gonna leave them a little bit chunky so they have that refried bean feel.

[blender whirs] >> Just like so!

I can still see the chunks of beans in there.

Just a bit more, you know, those 15 seconds extra that you give the onion to brown a little around the edges, it's gonna have that flavor in the beans, it's gonna be deeper, it's gonna be more pronounced.

Mmm.

I'm gonna pour the beans in there.

You can make your refried beans as thick as you want.

Some people like them mashed potato thick, I like them a little softer, it's gonna be 10 minutes or so.

Now let me taste for seasoning.

Mmm.

Mmm!

My rolls have super puffed, and now I'm gonna do a cut on the top of these rolls that is a signature of the pan de yema, and it's like 3 slashes.

That means it's a real pan de yema.

And now I'm gonna make a quick egg wash, which is just 1 egg.

I beat the egg and I'm gonna add a tablespoon of water, brushed all over the top, it's gonna give it a little shine.

You can see how puffy the dough still is.

We made some good dough.

This is gonna go in the over at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

For my eggs, I'm going to make a salsa martajada, and I'm going to add a couple tablespoons of oil in my casserole over medium heat.

So I'm making a salsa martajada which is nothing but a very chunky salsa, and this recipe is the easiest salsa I've ever seen!

Other than buying it at the store, and it has two main ingredients: two pounds of roma tomatoes, just put them under the broiler for 10 minutes, and the other ingredient is a banana pepper.

In Oaxaca, they use a chile de agua, but I find this is the best substitute, so you put them under the broiler for about 8 - 10 minutes, and this is how they look already roasted, and the flavor really changes from fresh to roasted, it concentrates, and then you put them in a plastic bag, close it, let them sweat, and then all you do is peel the skin right off, so super easy.

Then cut a slit, just remove the seeds, and I have 5 that I already cleaned.

Use one for pureeing with the tomatoes, add a teaspoon of salt.

Now I'm going to puree this, but not until smooth, I'm gonna leave it chunky.

That's that!

Really chunky, and look at the color!

And it smells delicious.

Add the sauce, and then I'm gonna cover it slightly, leave it at medium heat, and I'm gonna add the rest of the chiles.

A martajada is in pieces, in chunks, so I'm adding all of these chiles in there, and look how pretty.

Cover this, and let it cook for about 10 minutes over low-medium heat, and I think my bread is ready.

So pretty!

The satisfaction of having fresh-made bread at home is so gigantic!

Mmm, mmm, mmm!

It tastes a bit like brioche.

Barely sweet, mmm, super yummy.

We have all of the boys eating, so I have a dozen eggs, and I always count 2 per person, and then I make like 4 for me.

I just love eggs!

I'm gonna season them with just a little bit of salt.

I'm going to start heating the oil.

So I'm going to beat my eggs all together and then I'm going to cook them in batches.

So, like, half the mixture.

As the eggs are cooking and they begin to set all around the edges, you want to start moving them with your spatula, so we're making a soft scramble or a loose omelette.

That's exactly where I want them, see how they're still a little bit runny?

Add it straight in that sauce, going to add the rest of the eggs, a little bit more oil.

Stop right there, and add it straight in that sauce before they're completely set.

These are eggs in salsa martajada.

I'm gonna cover them so they stay warm.

>> Mmm.

>> Good morning!

>> Good morning.

>> I'm gonna pass the refried beans.

>> Sure.

>> We have the huevos martajada, remember the ones we had at the hotel in Oaxaca?

>> Yeah like every morning for two weeks.

>> (Laughs) I know!

A lot of sauce?

>> Yeah, you give me a lot of sauce anyways, there's no point in telling you yes or no.

[laughs] >> I think that today I really nailed the bread.

>> Mmm.

It is really good.

>> Sweet and crispy on the bottom.

>> You gotta dip it in the chocolate.

>> Mhmm!

But you have to dip it for just enough time that it gets super soupy, but it doesn't fall in the mug.

I know he loves to have the bread pieces fall in the mug and then you drink the pieces, or you fish them out with a spoon, right?

>> A little unorthodox.

Ma I really like these eggs.

>> It's really good.

>> A little bit spicy, but not too much.

>> I love spicy, especially for breakfast.

>> Yeah, it wakes you up.

>> Did you try it with the beans?

>> Yeah, it's really good.

Also you can taste the avocado leaves in the beans.

>> Right?

>> Yeah, it really stands out.

>> I like breakfast the best.

>> Depends what it is, if it's stuff like this, definitely breakfast.

>> Aww.

So like weekend breakfast.

>> Yeah weekend breakfast.

>> It's a good start.

>> Yeah it is.

>> Pati Narrates: For recipes and information from this episode and more, visit patijinich.com, and connect!

Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @PatiJinich.

>> Pati's Mexican Table is made possible by: ♪ epic music plays ♪ >> The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food.

Mexbest.

The National Agricultural Councl.

A tradition of authentic Latin flavors and family recipes.

Tropical Cheese.

>> La Costeña, por sabor!

Taste that transcends.

More information at: mexicorico.com >> Some things are always there for you.

Like your alarm clock, right on time.

Your parking space.

Seriously?

Girl's night, always there.

And avocados from Mexico.

They're always there because they're fresh all year round.

>> ♪ Avocados from Mexico >> Proud to support Pati's Mexican Table on public television.