Middle Eastern Flatbread Recipe

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
cooled bread in plastic and freeze.

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.