Knead to know basics

Bread making is as old as civilisation itself. Across cultures, there are so many versions of bread that a lifetime is not enough to fully learn its history. The Egyptians were the first to develop a recipe for leavened bread (apparently, like all good things, by accident) and introduce the concept of a closed oven. It then travelled to the Greek and Roman civilisations, and eventually, to the rest of the world. In Egypt, bread came to be of such importance that public bakeries were built by the State.

Once used as currency, bread was, and continues to be, more than just a source of nourishment. It’s a symbol of harvest, fertility and prosperity. The braided Jewish challah, for instance, denotes a ladder to heaven; and the unleavened matzo at Passover harks back to the Exodus. When baked in a circular form as koulouri, it represents a ‘ring of life’ to the Greeks. And the pretzels we know so well today were but thin strips of dough baked in the shape of a child’s arms folded in prayer, possibly by monks in southern France.

Of course, flat bread is probably the mother of all breads. Think chapatis, naan, puri, paratha, ciabatta, focaccia, frybread, matzo, tortilla, pizza crust and pita… You can do so much with all of them. If you are new to baking, however, pita is a good place to start (see recipe box). You can serve the world inside its fluffy little pocket. Typically made from just three ingredients plus water to knead, it’s as easy as making roti. You can make it on the stovetop or the oven, though I’d recommend the latter. You can even freeze them for a rainy day to thaw, stuff and eat later. Of its many partners, hummus perhaps, is pita’s best friend. Traditionally found on Middle Eastern and North African tables, hummus is made of chickpeas, olive oil and tahini or sesame paste. Adding roasted red bell peppers can lend it a beautiful hue and extra flavour. You can also try combinations of different herbs, sun-dried tomatoes and vegetables like beet.

Once you’ve made pita, a pizza crust can’t be far behind. It may look complicated but it’s super easy (look for basic recipe online). I love to freeze my dough and use it up for dinner on a busy weekday. Try and roll it into the size you want before you freeze the base. Leave it on the counter to thaw for a couple of hours in winter or in the refrigerator in summer (you don’t want to over-ferment the dough), and you will be ready to bake it in time for dinner. Still intimidated? Just top a naan with your favourite topping, and you’ve got a delicious, desi, lazy pizza right there.

The other easy option for homemade breads is stuffed bread — yes, I used the words ‘easy’ and ‘stuffed’ in the same sentence. Make the dough with rapid rise yeast (use the pita recipe), roll it out into a large rectangle, spread a thin layer of any sweet or savoury stuffing and roll it like a log to get beautiful, swirly bread. You can make mini versions of the same bread too.

Of late, I have been baking breads with fruits and veggies in them. Bananas and zucchini not only add moisture but also great flavour to breads. With a scoop of ice cream, banana and walnut bread can easily pass of as a dessert, with less than half the calories of a rich slice of cake.

But that’s the beauty of good bread. It can be savoury or sweet, flat or puffed up, and carry a million flavours with quiet, unassuming confidence. The kind of confidence that you too must muster to break that barrier and bake your first bread.

Pita bread

1tbsp instant yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water

1tsp salt

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour

1 In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding salt and 1 1/2 cups of flour.

2 Mix to a soft batter-like consistency. Add remaining flour until the dough starts to come together. Add enough flour to form a soft dough that clears the sides of the bowl and knead for 4-5 minutes with an electric mixer or 8-9 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3 Divide it into six equal balls. Cover with a cloth and let them rest for 10-15 minutes. Roll each ball into a thin, even disc, about 1/4-inch thick.

4 Cover again and let the discs rest for 30-40 minutes on a floured surface. It will rise a little bit.

5 Pre-heat oven to 218°C/425°F. Gently flip the discs on a baking sheet. Make sure you flip them so the side that was resting on the counter is now facing up. Spritz water over the disc.

6 Bake for 10 minutes, until they start to brown lightly on top and puff up. Good for 3-4 days, then refrigerate.

Cheesy cheat’s garlic bread

On days when you’re scarcely in the mood to knead, proof and bake, and yet you want to make something bread-y in the kitchen, try this semihomemade recipe for a cheesy garlic pull-apart bread.

Take a loaf of sourdough or any hard bread (the denser, the better), cut diagonally but not all the way through to make ‘diamonds’. Into the crevices, put garlic butter and gratedcheese.

Cover the loaf with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes till the cheese begins to melt.

Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes and serve hot.

(Simi Jois lives in Chicago and blogs at turmericnspice.com )

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