SEMOLINA BREAD WITH SESAME SEEDS

Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds image

A delicious and easy to make bread

Provided by Marilena Leavitt

Categories Bread

Yield 4 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

3 cups lukewarm water
2 packets yeast
3 cups semolina flour (labeled "durum")
3½ cups bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
1½ TBSP. salt
2 tsp. sesame seeds (for the top crust)
--- cornmeal (for the pizza peel)
¼ tsp. cornstarch
¼ cup water

Steps:

In a 5-quart bowl, mix the yeast with 3 cups of lukewarm water (the water should feel just a little warmer than body temperature). Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flours and the salt, little by little. You will need to use very wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. No kneading is required. Alternatively, you can use a heavy-duty stand mixer equipped with a dough hook. Mix until uniformly moist. (At this point, the dough will be wet - do not add more flour.)
Cover the dough loosely and allow it to rest at room temperature until it rises, about 2 hours. At this point, it may be used right away, or, it can be refrigerated for later use (tip: cold dough is less sticky and easier to handle). To store in the refrigerator, place the dough in a lidded, but not airtight, container and use over the next week or so.
On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound piece (about the size of a grapefruit). Dust the dough with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom and all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Form an oval or round shaped free-form loaf. Place it on a cornmeal covered pizza peel (or bread board) and allow it to rest for about 40 minutes.
Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°F, with a baking stone (or a heavy duty sheet pan--inverted and pre-heated) placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on a shelf that will not interfere with the rising bread. This will add moisture to your oven and will prevent your bread from forming a crust too soon.
Prepare the cornstarch wash. In a small skillet, blend well the cornstarch with the water. Boil for just 30 seconds, or, until the mixture appears "glassy". Cool completely.
Just before baking, paint the surface of the dough with the cornstarch wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and slash the surface diagonally, using a serrated knife. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the door to trap the steam.
Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or, until the crust is golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool on a rack before slicing and serving. Enjoy!