Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

Homemade bread for me is the ultimate comfort food and one of life’s great and simple pleasures.  Bread only requires a handful of ingredients and most times, no special equipment to make.  The only thing that is asked of you is time and a little patience.  As I  often tell my students, do not start your recipe an hour before dinner and expect to enjoy your bread that evening.  Plan ahead, allow time for rising, and, do not rush the baking process.

Semolina flour, one of the main ingredients in this recipe, is a coarse, yellowish, durum wheat flour with a nutty, sweet flavor.  Italians use it, not only in breads, but also in pasta because presents great texture and “bite”.  It is used widely in the Southern Italy and especially in Sicily.  In neighboring countries, semolina is used to make couscous.  In Greece, semolina is used to make a traditional dessert called galaktoboureko, a filo-wrapped semolina and orange-scented custard (a recipe that will make its appearance soon on this blog).

This recipe makes four, one-pound loaves.  That may seem like a lot, but this bread disappears quickly!  If you are attempting bread for the first time, this recipe is flexible and is easily halved.  If you have made bread before, go for it and make the whole recipe.  Not only you will have plenty of bread for the whole week ahead, but you can easily freeze the baked loaves or give them as gifts to your [lucky] neighbors.  Enjoy the bread hot out of the oven, dipped in some of your best extra virgin olive oil, seasoned with sea salt, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Heaven!

Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds

 

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A delicious and easy to make bread

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Bread

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Serves: 4 loaves

Ingredients

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 2 packets yeast
• 3 cups semolina flour (labeled “durum”)
• 3½ cups bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
• 1½ TBSP. salt
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds (for the top crust)
• --- cornmeal (for the pizza peel)
• ¼ tsp. cornstarch
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. In a 5-quart bowl, mix the yeast with 3 cups of lukewarm water (the water should feel just a little warmer than body temperature). Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flours and the salt, little by little. You will need to use very wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. No kneading is required. Alternatively, you can use a heavy-duty stand mixer equipped with a dough hook. Mix until uniformly moist. (At this point, the dough will be wet - do not add more flour.)
2. Cover the dough loosely and allow it to rest at room temperature until it rises, about 2 hours. At this point, it may be used right away, or, it can be refrigerated for later use (tip: cold dough is less sticky and easier to handle). To store in the refrigerator, place the dough in a lidded, but not airtight, container and use over the next week or so.
3. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound piece (about the size of a grapefruit). Dust the dough with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom and all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Form an oval or round shaped free-form loaf. Place it on a cornmeal covered pizza peel (or bread board) and allow it to rest for about 40 minutes.
4. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°F, with a baking stone (or a heavy duty sheet pan--inverted and pre-heated) placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on a shelf that will not interfere with the rising bread. This will add moisture to your oven and will prevent your bread from forming a crust too soon.
5. Prepare the cornstarch wash. In a small skillet, blend well the cornstarch with the water. Boil for just 30 seconds, or, until the mixture appears "glassy". Cool completely.
6. Just before baking, paint the surface of the dough with the cornstarch wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and slash the surface diagonally, using a serrated knife. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the door to trap the steam.
7. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or, until the crust is golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool on a rack before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

3.5.3240

A few other favorite breads from the blog:

Focaccia with fresh herbs

Greek Bread Rings with Sesame Seeds

Greek Easter Bread (tsoureki)

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