Darren's Za'atar Turkish Bread
A middle eastern staple, Za’atar Bread is topped with a vibrant blend of herbs, sesame seeds and sumac. Perfectly warm and soft, it’s made for sharing and, in Darren’s version for the technical challenge, dipping into delicious baba ghanoush.
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COOKING TIME: 1:45 hours
Makes 1
INGREDIENTS
Turkish Bread:
500g strong bakers’ flour
10g dried yeast
2 tsp caster sugar
75g Greek yoghurt
325ml warm water
½ tbsp table salt
50ml olive oil, for drizzling
Baba Ghanoush:
2 medium eggplants
1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
½ tbsp tahini
½ garlic clove, finely grated
1 lemon, juiced, to taste
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Za’atar:
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp Sumac
1 tbsp thyme, fresh, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp salt flakes
METHOD
Preheat the proving drawer to 40°C (bread setting), preheat the oven to 250°C, preset a 60 x 42 cm oven tray on the middle shelf.
Bread dough: Combine flour, yeast, and sugar, water and yoghurt in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix at medium-low speed for five minutes until combined and dough is sticky, add salt and continue mixing for another eight minutes at medium-low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. and doesn't stick to the base of the bowl.
Oil a roasting tray, (Bakers Secret roaster 34 x 24 x 6cm) with olive oil. Transfer dough to the tray and drizzle with a little olive oil and brush over dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the proving drawer, for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Baba ghanoush: Char the eggplants over the flame of gas burner, on high heat for about 10 mins turning gently, until completely blackened and soft. Place into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam and soften. After ten minutes, transfer eggplants to chopping board and cut in half lengthways. Using a spoon, remove flesh from skin. Place the flesh in a sieve over a bowl, and press with a weight, to release excess liquid. Cover and set aside.
Za'atar: Mix sesame seeds, sumac, chopped fresh thyme, dried oregano, and salt flakes in a small bowl, combine.
Shaping the bread: Remove dough from proving drawer, using a pastry scraper, and place onto a lightly floured surface. Bring the edges of dough to the centre to form a ball, flip over and gently flatten. with your hands into approx 25cm round. Transfer to a lined oven tray, press and stretch the dough to roughly fit the tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and brush over the surface. Cover and place into the proving drawer for 15 mins or until dough has risen slightly.
Finish the baba ghanoush. Chop the eggplants leaving a little texture. In a bowl, add yoghurt, thini, garlic and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until combined. Add a tablespoon of liquid from the eggplants to loosen if required. Refrigerate.
Bake the bread: Remove dough from proving draw, brush with more oil and using fingers, poke holes all over the dough, sprinkle with all the za'atar.
Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven and transfer the dough, with the baking paper onto the hot tray. Reduce temperature to 220C and bake on middle shelf for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to a platter and serve with baba ghanoush.
