Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Quick and Flaky Semolina Bread

Friday, August 26, 2011

[MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Quick and Flaky Semolina Bread - Tunisian

* Exported from MasterCook *

Quick and Flaky Semolina Bread - Tunisian

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : LowFat (Less than 5%) Unleavened
Vegan

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 pound fine semolina -- (about 2 cups) or durum flour
1 cup warm water -- plus 1 to 2 teaspoons
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch black caraway seeds -- (nigella), sesame seeds, or crushed fennel seeds (optional)
1/4 teaspoon oily harissa sauce -- or butter and honey (optional)

In the mixing bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, place the semolina flour. Gradually work in 1 cup warm water to make a soft dough. Knead with the dough hook for 3 minutes on slow speed. Add the salt and 1 to 2 teaspoons warm water, raise to slow-to-medium speed, and knead for 30 seconds. The texture should be very soft and moist. Oil your palms and finish kneading briefly by hand. Shape the dough into a ball. Return to the bowl, cover, and let rest 15 minutes.

Begin to heat a well-seasoned griddle, preferably ridged, over medium heat. Lightly oil a work surface and the palms of your hands. Quarter the dough, knead one portion for an instant, then flatten it to make a rectangle and drizzle with a teaspoon of oil. Fold the right and then the left side of the dough over the oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of seeds, if using. Press down and begin to flatten and stretch the dough in the other direction. Brush with oil and fold in three. Pinch dough to form a round. Roll or press out the first ball into a thin 8-inch round. Immediately place it on the griddle to cook until flaky and puffed, about 1 1/2 minutes to a side. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Serve at once brushed with harissa sauce or butter and honey, or stuff and roll. Rounds can be wrapped in cloth, packed in a plastic bag, refrigerated for one day, then reheated in the oven for a few minutes.

Note to Cook: For an extremely flavorful bread incorporate 3 tablespoons Garlic-Flavored Leavening (see below) into the dough in step 1. Cook an extra 30 seconds per side.

Makes 4 rounds

AuthorNote; Taied Dridi, a young Tunisian baker working in the United States, introduced me to his rapid method of making flaky semolina flatbread with and without leavening by a series of brushings with olive oil and triple folds - similar to the way one makes puff pastry.

This bread is great stuffed with seasoned ground lamb or chopped dates, or simply served with a brushing of oily harissa sauce or butter and honey. Try it with the chunky grilled Tunisian vegetable salad called mechouia, or stuff with a salad of chopped tomatoes and chopped and seeded chili peppers.

GARLIC-FLAVORED LEAVENING
To make garlic-flavored leavening for the flaky semolina bread, combine 3/4 cup semolina or durum flour and 1/2 cup spring water to form a dough. Stud with 4 peeled and washed cloves of garlic and place in a small jar. Cover with kitchen cloth and store in a warm place until the dough swells, 24 hours. Fold the garlic into the dough, allow to swell again, about 12 hours, then discard the cloves. Add 1/2 cup semolina or durum flour and 1/4 cup water and let dough rise about 1-inch. To use, add 3 tablespoons sponge to the dough in step 1. Discard the remaining sponge.

Cuisine:
"MidEastern"
Source:
""Mediterranean Grains and Greens" by Paula Wolfert, 1998"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"Aug 2011"
Yield:
"4 rounds"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 307 Calories; 1g Fat (2.7% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 802mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 1354 0 0 0 0 0