CATEGORY |
CUISINE |
TAG |
YIELD |
Dairy, Grains |
|
Breads |
4 |
Servings |
INGREDIENTS
4 |
c |
Unbleached, all-purpose |
|
|
Flour |
1/2 |
c |
Lard, shortening or butter |
|
|
Melted and cooled |
1/4 |
c |
Feta cheese, crumbled and |
|
|
Mashed into a paste |
1 |
t |
Cumin seed, ground |
1 |
t |
Anise, ground |
1 1/2 |
c |
Grape juice, purple or white |
1 |
|
Dry yeast |
8 |
|
Bay leaves |
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the flour, lard, mashed cheese, ground cumin and anise, and
yeast in a large mixing bowl. Blend well. Add the grape juice and mix
the dough well for 2-3 minutes until all the grape juice is absorbed
and evenly distributed. The dough will be damp and sticky, but no
internal dry areas should appear by the end of the mixing. If they do,
mix a few minutes more or add a little more grape juice and mix again.
Let the dough rest 5 minutes. Now sprinkle 1 or 2 tbsp. flour over
the dough and knead, either in the bowl or on a lightly floured
surface for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and
only slightly sticky. Add more flour if needed. Let the dough rest 2
minutes. The dough should now be very smooth and easy to handle. Knead
30 seconds more, return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with a
dish towel or large plate, and let rise at room temperature for at
least 3 hours. Sprinkle top with flour, punch down, and form the dough
into 4 rectangular loaves (4 in. by 2 in. by 2-1/2 in.). Place two bay
leaves on the bottom of each loaf, and lay them, leaf side down, on a
greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour,
until well risen. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35 minutes,
until the loaves are brown on top and make a hollow sound when tapped
on the bottom. Serve when cool. NOTE: To make these breads without
leavening, omit the yeast, knead the dough thoroughly, then bake at
350 degrees for about 2 hours. They will be chewy and moist, and very
foreign to our taste. The Romans thought unleaven bread was manlier
and much better for the digestion. From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster
collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini
A Message from our Provider:
“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. #Charles Spurgeon”