Khoubiz (lebanese flat bread)

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 6 c Plain flour

• 1 pk Active dry yeast

• 2 c Warm water

• 1 1/2 ts Salt

• 1 ts Sugar

• 2 tb Oil

Instructions:

Makes 8 loaves Oven temperature: 260 C (500 F) Cooking time: 4-5 minutes Sift flour into a large mixing bowl and warm in a low oven. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water add remaining water and stir in salt and sugar. Remove about 2 cups flour from bowl and set aside. Pour yeast liquid into centre and stir in some flour to make a thick liquid. Cover with cloth and leave in a warm place until frothy. Stir in rest of flour adding oil gradually then beat until smooth either by hand for 10 minutes or on electric mixer using dough hook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle some of the reserved flour onto a board turn out dough and knead for 10 minutes using more flour as required. Dough is ready when it is smooth and satiny with a slightly wrinkled texture. Shape dough into a ball. Oil bowl put in dough smooth side down then turn over so that top is coated with oil. Stretch plastic wrap over bowl and leave in a warm place to rise until almost doubled in bulk -- about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Preheat oven. Punch down dough and turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead for a minute or so then divide into 8 equal pieces rolling each into a ball. Roll each piece into a 25 cm (10 inch) round and place on a lightly floured cloth. Cover with another cloth and leave for 20 minutes. Heat a large baking sheet or flat griddle on the lowest shelf in an electric oven; in a gas oven select the section of the oven with the most heat probably near the top. Place a round of dough on a lightly floured baking sheet with one flat edge or on a piece of plywood spreading it evenly. Shake to ensure that it will slide off easily. Rub heated baking sheet or griddle with wad of paper towel dipped in oil then slide dough onto it. Bake in hot oven for 4-5 minutes until it puffs up like a balloon. If you would like it browned on top turn quickly and leave for a minute. Remove bread and wrap in a cloth to keep it warm and soft. Bake remaining loaves. To bake in an electric frypan (a good alternative if your gas oven does not heat evenly): Preheat frypan on highest setting with metal lid on vent closed. When heated oil base quickly and slide dough onto base. Cover and cook for 3 minutes remove lid turn bread over re-cover and cook further 2 minutes. Source: The Complete Middle East Cookbook - by Tess Mallos Typos courtesy of: Karen Mintzias Converted by MMCONV vers. 1.20