Middle Eastern Flatbread

Photo: flickr user scaredy_kat

Ingredients

5 cups Bread or all-purpose flour approximately

1 pkt Dry yeast

2 teaspoons Salt

3 tablespoons Sugar

3 tablespoons Olive oil or butter, melted

2 cups Hot water, (120 - 130 )

Milk

1/4 cup Sesame or poppy seeds toasted, (see note)

Preparation

Baking Sheets: 1 or more baking sheets, greased or Teflon.

By hand or mixer 15 minutes: In a large mixing or mixer bowl, place 2 cups flour and the dry ingredients. Stir well to mix. Mix the olive oil or butter with the hot water and pour into the flour mixture. Beat with a wooden spoon about 100 strokes, or with a mixer flat beater for 3 minutes.

Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, working with the wooden spoon and then your hands, to form a rough ball of dough.

Turn the dough out onto the work counter, or place under the mixer's dough hook, and knead for 6 to 8 minutes. Add sprinkles of flour if the dough is sticky under your hands or sticks to the sides of the mixer work bowl.

By processor 4 minutes: Attach the plastic blade. Add 3 cups flour and the dry ingredients to the work bowl. Pour the olive oil or melted butter and hot water through the feed tube. Mix for 10 seconds. Stop the machine and add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, processing after each addition.

Kneading 45 seconds: When the ball of dough forms on the blade, knead for 45 seconds.

Rising 30 minutes: Be certain the dough is smooth and elastic before placing it into a greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in a warm place (80 100 ) until the dough has doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Shaping 20 minutes: On a floured work surface divide the ball of dough into 6 pieces. With your hands fashion each piece of dough into roughly shaped rectangles. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 4"x8" and about 1" thick. Use sprinkles of flour if the dough sticks to your hands or the rolling pin.

To make a furrowed bread, press an oiled wooden dowel had against the dough

(lengthwise) at 1" intervals.

For a dimpled loaf, press the fingertips into the dough in a pattern.

Preheat oven to 375 . When the loaves have been shaped, assemble on the work surface and cover with wax paper. Let rest for 20 minutes.

Baking: 375 for 25-30 minutes. Gently but firmly redefine the furrows and dimples with the bowel and your fingers before carefully lifting the dough pieces onto the baking sheet. Not all may go on one sheet, so reserve other pieces under wax paper. Brush each loaf with milk and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Place the loaves in the oven and bake until a light golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. (If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50 ). Remove from the baking sheet and cool on racks. Serve warm or wrap

Note: To toast seeds, spread them over a baking sheet and place in a 300 oven for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Watch carefully so that they don't scorch or burn.

Yield: 6 small loaves.

It is traditional for home bakers in the Middle East to draw the edge of the thumb down the face of the flat loaf to form a series of ridges and sprinkle with toasted sesame or poppy seeds. Others dimple the dough with fingertips just before it goes inthe oven. A length of 1/-inch dowel pressed against the dough in furrows or the smooth handle of a knife will make a better pattern. It will also allow the finished loaf to be browken into sticks. There is no substitute for fingers, however, so dimple some of the loaves traditionally and furrow others.

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