Author: Diane Scott
Released: 8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM
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Commissary Highlights 1978 - 1985
1/2 oz. fresh yeast or 1/4 oz. dried yeast
About 1/2 pint tepid water
Sugar
1 lb. plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Oil
Dissolve yeast in 2 oz. of the water. Add a pinch of sugar. Leave in a warm place for about 10 minutes or until bubbly.
Sift flour and salt into warmed mixing bowl. Make center well and pour in yeast mixture. Knead by hand, adding enough of the remaining water to make a firm but not hard dough. Knead for about 15 minutes, until smooth elastic, unsticky.
Knead in 1 or 2 teaspoons oil for softer bread. Oil dough and bowl, cover with dampened cloth and let rise till double (approximately 2 hours).
Punch down dough, kneading again for a few minutes. Take lumps the size of potato or smaller. Flatten on a floured board, until about ¼ inch thick. Dust with flour. Lay rounds on cloth sprinkled with flour and cover with another lightly floured cloth.
Allow to rise again in a warm place.
Preheat oven at max temperature for at least 20 minutes and leave oil baking sheets in it for last 10 minutes to make as hot as possible (do not let oil burn).
When bread has risen again, slip rounds on hot baking sheets. When dampened yeasty aroma is replaced by earthy aroma, it is ready. Remove from baking sheets right away.
Dianne Scott
In the Middle East, bread is not only the staff of life, but often fork, spoon and plate as well. The typical bread of the Arabic countries is a flat, round piece – which is only slightly leavened. Its flavor is best when it is fresh from the oven, because it contains no milk or shortening and dries out quickly.
The true bread of the Middle East puffs roundly in the oven but falls as it cools. It is easily pulled open and the pocket thus formed can be filled with whatever the appetite requests.
Often this bread is made at home. To prepare the dough the leavened starter or dough ball (saved from a previous batch of bread) is dissolved in a pan of salted water. Into this liquid one mixes enough wheat flour to make a soft dough. Then cover the pan of dough to rise until the next morning. In the morning the dough is put into a tub to be kneaded. Kneading in more flour and salted water, one works the dough into a smooth elastic mass. Finally the dough is shaped into a smooth long roll which is cut into even slices. These slices are rolled into balls and left to rise on a clean white cloth.