Pan sobao, is a white bread from the Caribbean characterized by the addition of lard, which gives it its distinctive flavor. It is one of the most traditional breads of Puerto Rico, where it is considered a softer variant of "pan de agua". In Venezuela, pan sobao enjoyed great popularity in the mid-20th century and is now typical in some rural towns.
The name refers to its preparation method: "sobar" the dough means stretching it with a rolling pin into a sheet, then folding it and stretching it again repeatedly, so that the dough becomes softer, more uniform, malleable, and compact. There are also machines called "sobadoras" or "sobadores" that facilitate this process. The technique originates from Spanish "pan sobado", which is characterized by a very white and dense crumb.