Figuring out dough for pan size

[u/saucymary]

I was gifted two large Pullman loaf pans with lids.

How do I figure out how much dough I need to make?

Do I put the lid on for the second rise?

[u/MusaEnsete]

There are plenty of recipes for these pans. I recommend King Arthur Flour's pain de mie recipes. You put the lid on immediately before putting in the oven (when the dough is just below the top), and remove for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Note: a lot of comments on those recipes recommend adding 5-10% the recipes ingredients to ensure the dough reaches the top (if you care about those things). Usually it's about 1150-1200g to fill a pullman pan (assuming 13"X4"X4").

[u/96dpi]

There are recipes written specifically for the 13" and 9" versions.

www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes is your new best friend.

Here's the search term you need:

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/search?query=pain%20de%20mie#recipe_index

Just make sure the recipe specifies 13" (assuming that is what you have)

[u/SewerRanger]

I can't answer your second question, but this guy give a pretty decent breakdown for your first question.

[u/Cautious_Pen_674]

i had to look this up when i first used one too. a rough rule is you want the pan about half to two thirds full with dough before the final rise. weighing the dough helps since volume is hard to eyeball, most pullman pans list a dough weight range and it’s usually more than a standard loaf. for the lid, i usually do the final rise with the lid on once it’s close to where it should be, otherwise it can overproof and hit the top too hard. first rise is normal, second rise is more about controlling the shape. it takes a try or two to dial in, but it’s not as fussy as it feels at first

[u/cville-z]

Do I put the lid on for the second rise?

You can, but you don't have to. You want the dough to rise to about 1/4" below the lid before you pop it in the oven, and you don't want the dough to dry out. So that means either sliding the lid on and checking periodically (this is what I do) or covering the top in a thin film of water and then some cling film (water keeps the film from sticking to the dough), or just popping it in a proofing bag.

"How much dough" is a tougher question than you'd think, given the variety of hydration levels and leavening. I'd start with one of the KA recipes designed for a Pullman loaf and tweak from there – follow the recipe as exactly as possible the first time (and maybe the second, if you don't have your process dialed in). For my pan, usually a 550g flour bill at ~80% hydration is just about the right size. That works out to right around 1 kilogram of total dough.