Za’atar Bread
I made za’atar earlier this afternoon with the winged sumac that I foraged earlier this week. I was pleased with how it turned out so I decided to make za’atar bread.
I heated a cup of milk in the microwave for 50 seconds, which in my microwave produces lukewarm milk at 105°F. I stirred in a tsp. of sugar and 2 tsp of rapid rise yeast. I left it to sit for 10 minutes until it got nice and frothy.
Meanwhile I measured 3 cups of flour into a mixing bowl with 1 tsp of salt. I added the milk and yeast mixture and 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and mixed it with a wooden spoon and then kneaded it for 10 minutes.
Then I did a little kitchen witchery and asked Děduška to bless the dough and help it rise, and then covered it with my mushroom towel that is dedicated to rising bread.
Děduška bless this dough,
Let it rise like mushrooms from the earth.
I placed the bowl on the stovetop and turned the warming burner on to produce just a little extra heat in the air conditioning. The dough easily doubled in size in 45 minutes (I did not place the dough on the warming burner but to the side).
I placed an upside down cast iron skillet in the oven and preheated it and the oven at 450°F.
I divided the dough into 8 pieces and rolled them into rounds. I drizzled olive oil into the za’atar mixture and spooned some onto the first round (I placed the others back under the towel on the warm stovetop) and placed it on the skillet and baked it for 5 minutes.
Perfection! I did the same with each of the rounds. It made a very fluffy flatbread with a nice earthy and salty flavor.
Yum!
