Nan E Barbari Recipes

Steps:

• For the dough: Mix the olive oil, yeast, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 cups warm water in a large bowl. Add the flour 1 cup at a time and mix using a wooden spoon until the dough is fully incorporated and there are no bits of flour visible, 5 to 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place in a draft-free spot and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
• Uncover the dough, transfer it to a well-floured surface and dust the top with 1 tablespoon flour. Flip the dough using a bench scraper and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the glaze: While the oven is heating, mix the flour, baking soda and 1/2 cup water in a small pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and reaches the consistency of ketchup, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the dough to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon the glaze over the dough and use your hands to spread the dough into a roughly 12-by-16-inch oval or rectangle that's about 1 inch thick. Using your fingertips, make rows of indentations on the dough lengthwise to form lines. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and nigella seeds.
• Bake until the bread is fully cooked and golden on the top, about 25 minutes. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel for 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a wide mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in 3 cups/720ml warm water. Add the sugar and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Add the salt to the yeast mixture and mix well. Gradually add the flour and stir constantly. When 6½ cups/650g flour have been added and you have a sticky dough, add 1 tablespoon oil and mix for 2 minutes. Transfer the dough to a floured counter and knead for about 15 minutes, adding the rest of the flour if necessary, until the dough is no longer sticky.
• Lift the dough in the mixing bowl and pour 3 tablespoons oil into it, then turn the dough in the oil so it is coated all over. Cover the entire bowl with a clean damp dish towel and allow the dough to rise for 4 hours, without moving it, in a warm place (I use the oven with just the light on, or a pantry).
• Punch the air out of the dough while it is still in the bowl and flip it over. Cover again with the damp towel and allow to rise 2 for more hours.
• Place a baking stone in the lower level of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix together the egg and yogurt until smooth.
• With oily hands, divide the dough into 4 balls. Place each ball on a lightly oiled surface. Use an oiled rolling pin to roll each ball out to an approximately 11in x 6in/28cm x 15cm oval shape. Place the loaves on an oiled surface, cover with the towel, and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Dust a baker's peel with cornmeal and transfer a loaf to it. Brush the egg wash and make dents along the length of the top of the loaf, then sprinkle the seeds on top.
• Immediately slide the dough onto the hot baking stone in the oven, cornmeal side down, and bake for 8 minutes. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
• Add sugar and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Pour yeast mixture in large bowl or food processor, add remaining warm water, and salt--mix well.
• Gradually add flour while stirring constantly.
• After flour has been added, knead by hand, adding more of the flour if needed until the dough is not sticky.
• Pour oil in a large bowl and place dough in bowl.
• Cover with a clean damp towel and let rise 4 hours in warm, dark place without moving.
• Punch air out while dough is in the bowl.
• Flip dough over and return to bowl.
• Cover with new damp towel and allow to rise until double.
• Place cookie sheet in center of oven and preheat to 500°F.
• Divide dough into 11 parts, each piece about 5 inches in diameter.
• Dust a tray with corn meal and place loaves on tray.
• With damp hands, press fingertips into each loaf, then sprinkle tops with sesame seeds.
• Put loaves on the cookie sheet, corn meal side down, and bake sesame side up for 8 minutes in oven.
• Turn bread over and bake corn meal side up for 4 minutes in closed oven.
• Remove loaves from oven.
• Cover with clean towel, serve hot or wrap in foil and freeze (toast before serving.).