Unleavened Bread
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 6-8 cups whole wheat flour
In a sizeable bowl, mix together water, salt and olive or sesame oil. With a wooden spoon, slowly stir in about 2 1/2 cups of flour and the caraway seeds, mixing and beating for about 5 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Mix in additional flour until the mixture is too thick to stir.
Flour a board or kneading area. Transfer the dough and any remnants left in the bowl, to the board. Knead the dough, adding additional flour as necessary, until it is smooth and the consistency of your ear lobe (yes!).
Unyeasted dough demands a good deal of patient kneading, about 15-20 minutes to start. Work in a rhythm, turning the dough clockwise to assure uniform kneading. Altogether, you should have about 250-300 kneads.
Oil hands, and form the dough into a ball. Oil the dough and place in a sizeable bowl. Cover with a cloth and a cover, and place away from drafts for 30-36 hours, or until the dough has puffed and risen. Allow longer time if no fermentation seems to be taking place.
Remove the risen dough from the bowl, knead lightly and form into ping-pong sized balls. Place the balls in a large, well-greased, oiled round baking pan, snuggling them up, one against the other. Be careful not to cram -- use an additional pan or form an additional small loaf, if necessary. Allow space for rising.
Cover around bread loaf with a wet cloth and set in a warm location for 3-6 hours or until the dough rises about half again. Brush with milk or oil.
Place the bread in a cold oven and heat to 300°F. Bake bread for about 45 glorious minutes to 1 hour, or until it sounds hollow when tapped on both top and bottom.
Serve warm and thinly sliced, or let your guests tear off the rolls as individual servings.
Yield: 1 large round bread
*** From: Gwendolyn Fisher
Flour a board or kneading area. Transfer the dough and any remnants left in the bowl, to the board. Knead the dough, adding additional flour as necessary, until it is smooth and the consistency of your ear lobe (yes!).
Unyeasted dough demands a good deal of patient kneading, about 15-20 minutes to start. Work in a rhythm, turning the dough clockwise to assure uniform kneading. Altogether, you should have about 250-300 kneads.
Oil hands, and form the dough into a ball. Oil the dough and place in a sizeable bowl. Cover with a cloth and a cover, and place away from drafts for 30-36 hours, or until the dough has puffed and risen. Allow longer time if no fermentation seems to be taking place.
Remove the risen dough from the bowl, knead lightly and form into ping-pong sized balls. Place the balls in a large, well-greased, oiled round baking pan, snuggling them up, one against the other. Be careful not to cram -- use an additional pan or form an additional small loaf, if necessary. Allow space for rising.
Cover around bread loaf with a wet cloth and set in a warm location for 3-6 hours or until the dough rises about half again. Brush with milk or oil.
Place the bread in a cold oven and heat to 300°F. Bake bread for about 45 glorious minutes to 1 hour, or until it sounds hollow when tapped on both top and bottom.
Serve warm and thinly sliced, or let your guests tear off the rolls as individual servings.
Yield: 1 large round bread
*** From: Gwendolyn Fisher
Submitted by Nov 16, 2009
15 min
30 min
45 min