BARBARI BREAD AND HUMMUS

Posted in Appetizers, Breads, Breakfast & Brunch by sallybr

A match made in heaven!

Barbari Bread originates in Iran, formerly known as Persia, a name that evokes beautiful things in my mind. Barbari is a flatbread with ridges and a dark golden color provided by a glaze that often contains baking soda. I share a recipe that makes one small flatbread, fitting in a quarter sheet pan.

BARBARI BREAD
(adapted from cookingorgeous)

160 ml water (lukewarm)
250 g all-purpose flour
4 g instant yeast
5 g salt
3 g sugar
10 ml olive oil

For the Topping (you won’t need the full amount)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup water
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoon Sesame seeds

In the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer combine the flour, salt, sugar, olive oil, and yeast. Add warm water gradually, stirring to form a sticky dough. Knead at low-speed for about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm spot for 2 hours.

Make the glaze: in a small saucepan, combine flour, water, olive oil, and baking soda.
Cook over low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens into a smooth paste. Set aside to cool.

Shape the Dough: Flatten the dough into an oval or rectangular shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If the dough resists too much, form into a ball and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. The dough should end as 12 inches long and 5 inches wide. Using your fingers, gently press lines into the dough from top to bottom to create the signature ridges of Barbari bread. Brush the glaze mixture over the surface, covering the dough evenly. This will help to keep the bread moist and create that golden crust during baking. Sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Second Rise and Baking the Bread: Cover the shaped and topped dough with a damp cloth and allow it to rise for one hour.

Heat the oven to 390F. Bake the bread for about 20 minutes or until it turns golden brown with a crisp crust.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

For the hummus, I used a fantastic recipe from Milk Street, which is available online (click here). I advise you to halve the recipe because it would feed an army. I am not too fond of freezing hummus, so half the recipe was perfect for us. Can you tell how luscious and creamy it is?

Comments: Barbari bread is definitely one to consider adding to your rotation, because it is super easy to make and absolutely delicious. As to the hummus, Milk Street recipe is pretty involved, but worth it. Thick, intensely flavored, a real hit of sesame with each bite.

I hope you try both this recipes, they were perfect together. Hummus is often a breakfast item in Israel, consumed warm with Kawarma (spiced ground meat) spooned all over it. We took the less authentic route by enjoying it as a dip. If you have The Milk Street Cookbook that goes along with the TV show, both recipes are there.

ONE YEAR AGO: Baking Through the Blogosphere

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THREE YEARS AGO: Pasta with Cremini Mushroom Ragu

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FIVE YEARS AGO: Roast Veggies with Black Barley

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NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, November 2015

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ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Thai-Style Pesto with Brown Rice Pasta

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FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Pasta with Zucchini Strands and Shrimp

10Oct2024

MJUKKAKA, A SWEDISH SOFT FLATBREAD

Posted in Breads, Breakfast & Brunch by sallybr

Totally in love, I must admit… Huge thank you to Mimi, a food blogger and friend I’ve been following and learning from for so many years! Check her detailed post about it clicking here. If you want to make the real authentic version, a special rolling pin is a must, but you can probably get by with a dough rolling docking gadget of even the tines of a fork. I have a tough time resisting gadgets, as you may have noticed, so I got one (amazon is your friend, I suppose).

MJUKKAKA
(from Chef Mimi’s blog)

2 cups bread flour plus an extra tablespoon or two if necessary and more for rolling the dough
3/4 cup barley flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup water room temperature
1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon canola oil plus more for oiling the bowl and cooking the flatbreads
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Whisk bread flour, barley flour, yeast, salt and sugar together by hand in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add water, yogurt and 1 tablespoon oil to the dry ingredients.

Fit a stand mixer with the dough hook and begin mixing at medium-low speed until dough just comes together. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead dough for three minutes. If dough is sticking to the sides or the bottom after the first 3 minutes of kneading, add an additional tablespoon of bread flour before continuing the kneading process. Continue kneading at medium speed until the dough is tacky but not sticky and clears the bottom and sides of the bowl, approximately 2-3 more minutes. Add an additional tablespoon or two of bread flour if dough continues to stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl during the kneading process.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for an hour at room temperature or until doubled in size. Transfer dough to a clean countertop and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 80 g each. Roll each piece into a rough ball. Cover with plastic wrap.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, use a rolling pin to create a thin circular flatbread (like a thin tortilla). If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, sprinkle a little flour on top. It’s okay if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Finish by rolling the flatbread a couple of times with a deep notched rolling pin. Brush off any excess flour from the top of the dough.

Using a dough scraper and your fingers, gently release the flatbread from the countertop. Add to a skillet with a little oil heated over medium heat. Cook the first side for 1 to 2 minutes, flip and cook the second side. Remove the flatbread from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt, if so desired (I omitted the butter).

Repeat the process with the remaining portions of dough. Eat immediately or wrap tightly and freeze once the flatbreads have cooled to room temperature

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love the pattern that the rolling pin makes on the dough, and also how it prevents the bread from puffing too much during cooking. I used a dosa flat pan to cook it over the stove, but you can use cast iron and probably a griddle might work too. As to oiling the pan, what worked better for me was brushing oil right on the bread after rolling and brushing the excess flour off. I used a silicone brush and added a very light coating. I did not add more oil to the other side before flipping the bread, it was not necessary.

We had it for a weeknight dinner with several different goodies: smoked salmon with yogurt dill dipping sauce, ham, prosciutto, mortadella, mustard, hummus… It was simple and fun at the same time. I placed all flatbreads wrapped in foil in a very low oven (used our Breville small oven for that), and the bread stayed soft and warm through the whole meal. We did not bother slathering the bread with butter, but feel free to do so.

This one is definitely going into our rotation, and I hope you will give this recipe a try. Thank you so much, Mimi!

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23Jan2024

FOOD PROCESSOR FLATBREAD WITH SESAME SEEDS

Posted in Breads by sallybr

One of my default recipes that I go back to every time is the old Fine Cooking food processor’s pizza dough (click here for post from 2009!). It always works, it is fast, convenient, and I have it memorized, so whenever I want pizza, I mix the dough early in the morning, stick it in the fridge and come back hours later. I might change slightly the composition of flour, adding spelt or whole wheat if I feel like it but the basic procedure is the one from the blog. It got me thinking that the same approach could work for a slightly more complex type of dough, one that includes yogurt, but does not quite go into the direction of the Indian naan. I am super happy with the outcome, and urge you to give it a try…

FOOD PROCESSOR FLATBREAD WITH SESAME SEEDS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

250 grams (about 2 cups) bread flour
1½ teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
¾ cup plain, full-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1/4 cup of water (you might not need the whole amount)
olive oil, za’atar, Herbes de Provence, sesame seeds (to taste)

Mix the yogurt with the agave nectar and reserver.

In a food processor, combine the flour, yeast and salt, then process until combined, 2 to 3 pulses. Add the mixture of yogurt with honey, process, and with the machine running, drizzle the water. Stop when the contents in the bowl start for form a cohesive dough. Process for about 60 seconds, adjust with more flour or water if needed. Ideally the dough should be slightly sticky.

Remove the dough from the processor, form as a smooth ball, and leave it to proof at room temperature for 90 minutes.

Heat the oven to 450F and place a baking stone on a rack to heat. Divide the dough in two equal portions, then stretch them into oval shape on a piece of parchment paper. Brush with some olive oil, sprinkle your spice mixture of choice, then sesame seeds. Transfer the flatbread into the oven, still on the parchment paper, and bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove to a cooling rack, and enjoy once it cools down a bit.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I made a small batch, with only 250g flour, because I was testing the food processor method, but it ended up really perfect for the two of us. Even four people could be happy with the two flatbreads, although in that case I guarantee you won’t have leftovers. I liked the za’atar version the most, hubby preferred the one with Herbes de Provence. Your kitchen, your choice!

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11May2023

BAKING THROUGH THE BLOGOSPHERE

Posted in Breads, Cake, Cookies by sallybr

Once again I share with you bakes that I’ve made over the past couple of months, following recipes from blogs I love…
(links to recipes below each individual picture)

TROPICAL SHORTBREAD COOKIES
from Pastries Like a Pro

(recipe available here)

These are shortbread type cookies with macadamia nuts and coconut, absolutely delicious! I made the chocolate glaze in two different ways, one simply dipping like Helen suggests, and the second way adding some texture. To do so, I laid a piece of textured paper on the chocolate while still wet as shown below. It is hard to get it smooth to the very edge of the chocolate, but I still liked the effect.

RAMASAN PIDESI
from Caroline’s Easy Baking Lessons

(recipe available here)

This is a great soft bread, ready in 2 hours! Uses instant yeast, and depending on the size of your pizza pan, you can have enough for 2 full round breads or go with a large round and the leftover used for a different shape of your liking. I opted for a 4-stranded braided loaf.

The crumb is spectacular, Phil now wants this bread on a regular basis… His favorite is the flat shape.

BOUCHONS AU CHOCOLAT
from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

(recipe available here)

These were made famous by Thomas Keller, and they use a specific mold to make the right shape, like a cork. I’ve had the mold for years, unfortunately it does not seem to be available any longer, but you can use a muffin tin. I used the exact recipe blogged by Karen, which is a variation from the original. Absolutely delicious, but you must adore a strong chocolate taste, this is not a sweet, kid-friendly concoction. It will be showing up again in our kitchen, for sure!

HOSTESS MINI-CAKES
(from Baker’s Anonymous)

(recipe available here)

Helen was a tent-baker with me during the Great American Baking Show and she is now a professional baker, with a super busy life! She keeps her blog with great recipes, and this one got the most enthusiastic reviews from our departmental colleagues. A must-make! It was a great opportunity to put to use my little cupcake corer thingie…

RED TART CHERRY PIE BARS
from Bakes by Brown Sugar

Another tent-baker friend, Cheryl, from a season before mine, these are absolutely spectacular! She uses canned tart cherries, which I had never even bought before, not knowing if they would be good. Well, they work wonders in this preparation, and you will not be disappointed at all. Easy, sharp, sweet and tart at the same time. Make them!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH PEANUT BRITTLE
(from David Leibovitz)

(recipe available here)

Have you ever made peanut brittle? If not, you absolutely need to correct this handicap. The only problem is stop sampling the brittle so you have enough for the cookies. You’ve been warned. The cookies are amazing, with the regular flavor of a chocolate chip, but the added intensity of the caramelized peanuts.

I hope this series got you inspired to bake some sweetness!

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1May2018

UZBEK FLATBREAD

Posted in Breads by sallybr

It is amazing how one can be a foodie (for lack of a better term) and still find “new” food items to dream about. Like the traditional bread from Uzbekistan, a fascinating country north of Afghanistan. A couple of months ago I stumbled on this blog post and could not stop thinking about the beauty of those flat breads. The dough can be very simple, although I found countless recipe variations for them. From type of flour to amount of yeast, duration of fermentation, type of fat added, it’s hard to find a common denominator. But the basic characteristic is the stamping of beautiful images on the dough right before baking. I found a beautiful bread stamp for sale at Etsy, and a few weeks later it joined our kitchen. I could not wait to try it!

LEPYOSHKA – UZBEK FLATBREAD
(adapted from this video)

1 + 1/2 cups water, at room temperature
1 cup yogurt, full-fat
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups whole-wheat flour (I needed to add quite a bit more)
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all ingredients in the order listed in a bowl. Knead by hand for 10 minutes, or if using a KitchenAid type mixer, knead at medium speed for 6 minutes. If the dough seems too slack, add more flour at this point. It should feel sticky, but hold together nicely.

Transfer dough to a clean bowl lightly brushed with oil. Cover and allow it to ferment at room temperature for 2 hours.

Divide the dough in 4 portions, shape each as a small ball. Cover and leave at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Flatten each ball into a round. Press the center, forming a thicker layer of dough all around the perimeter. Use a spoon and a bread stamp to decorate the surface.

Bake in a 375 F oven inside a Dutch oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the cover after 10 minutes. If you have a large enough Dutch oven, you can bake two at a time. If baking one at a time, leave the balls covered and make the decorations right before baking.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The recipe I am sharing is in fact my second attempt at making Uzbek flat breads. For my first adventure, I had not found a detailed recipe, it was more a vague set of instructions, so I made my own formula and used the fermentation time suggested. It contained quite a bit of yeast, and the proof fermentation was short, only 40 minutes. The result was a bread that rose so much during baking that the pattern of the stamp was lost. Below you see before and after pictures.

I was a bit disappointed, even though the bread tasted pretty good. I wanted my pattern to show. I asked for help in a bread Facebook page, and got great advice. Including the link to that youtube video with the recipe I used. Worked like a charm! For my next time I intend to use 75% white bread flour and 25% whole wheat or spelt. I think it would make a nice texture, and probably need a little less flour during kneading.

As to the decoration, you can do pretty much whatever you feel like it. I opted for the technique in the video. It uses a spoon all around the edge, then the stamp goes in the center. Next, you pinch the dough with two fingers around the stamp. But you can do several rounds of stamps in the center instead, leave the dough plain all around. I imagine that each family has their own way to decorate their bread.

My design was approved by all members of our family…

The bread was delicious with hummus, with goat cheese, and black olive tapenade. Sliced like a pita, it was fantastic to deliver fresh tomatoes juicy with a drizzle of olive oil and oregano. Since learning about Uzbek flat bread, also called Lepyoshka, I’ve been fascinated by that country. You can find some nice pictures of Uzbekistan in this link.