Flatbreads with Za'atar

  

This morning, I arrived on time to all my (many) appointments, saw every dairy in the land while driving all over the countryside, made tonight's dessert before eating my lunch, caught up with my emails, made my 12 year old son laugh and even managed to have a coffee in a real café. I tell you, I've been flat-out... just like this bread.



Flatbreads with Za'atar
adapted from Julie Le Clerc's Taking Tea in the Medina
Makes 10

For the Bread:
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup wholemeal flour
2 cups "00" flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

For the Za'atar:
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sumac

Make the Za'atar:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make the Bread:
Place the 1/4 cup lukewarm water, honey and yeast in a small bowl, Set aside in a warm place for 5 - 10 minutes until frothy.

Place the frothy yeast mixture and 1 cup of lukewarm water into a large bowl. Sift together the flours and mix half the flour into the yeast mixture. to form a paste. This is what is known as The Sponge. Set The Sponge aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Add salt and olive oil to The Sponge and mix in the remaining flour. Knead for a few minutes until you have a moist but firm dough. Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface and knead for another 5 minutes. Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.

Once the dough has risen, divide it into 10 equal portions. Roll the portions into balls and flatten them into 5mm thick discs. Place the discs on a lightly floured baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the za'atar. Bake for 4-8 minutes, until golden and slightly puffed.