Talami

Talami  Lebanese Bread

Danny Talami

This is a recipe from a favorite blog, "Rose Water and Orange Blossom". Maureen Abood is Lebanese by ethnicity and employs the dishes of her family in her diet as well as her new cookbook. Winter is a good time to bake bread.  It not only heats up the house but gets the wonderful aroma wafting throughout the house stimulating appetites. Nothing is better on a cold day than a slice of freshly baked bread with butter. The story associated with this bread is Maureen was researching the recipe for Talami. While on a photo shoot in Philadelphia she met a priest of her religion who showed her his techniques. She came home all excited to make this for her husband of six months who actually showed her his bread making skills. This is his family recipe thus it is called Danny Talami

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Danny Talami
The egg in the dough makes this bread extra-tender and special. Dan likes to combine the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers to top the talami.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (about 110° F), plus another 1/4 cup or so
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or safflower
2 teaspoons salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Optional toppings such as chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, za’atar mixed with olive oil (1:1), or sesame seeds

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Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in 2 cups of the warm water. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, until the yeast is creamy and slightly bubbly. Stir in the oil, salt, and egg. Mix in the flour, a cup at a time, until there are no lumps and a wet, sticky dough has formed. Add about 1/4 cup more water as you go as well.

Rub the dough and the sides of the bowl with a tablespoon of the oil, reach under the droopy dough to rub oil underneath it as well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (without letting it touch the dough) and drape a kitchen towel over the top. Let the dough rest in a warm spot for about 45 minutes.

Heat the oven to 450° F. Rub a tablespoon or so of oil on two rimmed sheet pans. Divide the dough in quarters and form each one into a round, 2 on each pan. Rub more oil over the tops of the dough and let them rest for another 15 minutes.

If you’re using toppings, push them into the top of each loaf, making dimples with the tips of your fingers. Make the dimples even if you’re not using toppings.

Bake the bread, one pan at a time, for about 10 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cut or tear off pieces and eat warm; the bread is best right now. To store the bread, wrap room temperature bread in plastic and aluminum foil for a day or so.