Lebanese bread ~ Khoubiz

Ingredients :

• 15g dried yeast or 30g fresh yeast
• 2½ cups lukewarm water
• 1 tspn sugar
• 8 cups plain flour
• 2 tspn salt
• 3 tbsp oil

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup of the lukewarm water, add sugar and set aside in a warm place until it rises and foams - approx. 10-15 minutes.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and place in a warm oven for a few minutes to warm slightly.
3. Pour the yeast into a well in the center of the flour and mix it in by hand, adding the water gradually. Knead well to a soft dough.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board or cloth and continue to knead until it is smooth and shiny - approx. 15-20 minutes.
5. Knead in 2 tbsp of the oil, roll into a large ball and rub the remainder of the oil around the ball. Leave in the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place to rise until nearly double its size - approx. 1-2 hours.
6. Turn the oven on to maximum heat at least ¾ hour before cooking the bread.
7. Punch the dough down in the center and draw edges to the middle to re-form the ball. Turn onto a floured board or cloth and knead for approx. 2 minutes.
8. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball.
9. Flatten each ball on a lightly floured cloth and roll with a rolling pin into flat round shapes, about the size of a dinner plate and approx. 6mm thick. Place bread rounds on a lightly floured cloth, cover with another floured cloth and set aside to again rise to nearly double their size - approx. 20-30 minutes.
10. Place a baking tray in the oven for 5 minutes, remove and lightly rub with oil.
11. Place one round of bread on the baking tray and cook until it swells up in the center and browns slightly - approx. 4-8 minutes. Remove from oven and wrap in a cloth. Continue in this way until all the rounds are cooked.