Psomi (Greek Bread)

Greek bread has always played an important part in the Greek diet. Psomi has been the main staple, especially in frugal times, when the Greeks would survive on a thick chunk of it with either cheese and a few vegetables or a bean soup and then dip the bread in it.

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp melted warm butter or 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp fine semolina
• Water

Directions:

Sift flour into a mixing bowl and place into a low oven to warm.

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water then stir in remaining water, salt, and sugar.

Remove flour from oven; take 2 cups of flour from the bowl and set aside.

Make a well in the remaining flour and pour in the liquid; stir in a little of the flour until the liquid gets thick, then cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until the mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.

Stir the rest of the flour into the liquid, and add the butter/oil gradually, beating with a wooden spoon or mixing with your hands until smooth (about 10 minutes), or alternatively, use a dough hook/mixer for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle a little flour onto a board, and turn the dough out; gradually mix in some of the flour you had set aside earlier.

Only knead in enough to keep the dough from sticking; dough is ready when it is satiny, and the surface is slightly wrinkled; shape into a ball.

Oil the dough, and place in bowl, making sure the top side is oiled completely; cover bowl with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Punch down and make into 2 pieces; turn onto floured surface, and form each into a torpedo-shape.

Grease baking sheet and sprinkle with semolina; place the dough well apart on the sheet and cut 4 diagonal slashes across the dough; cover with a cloth and allow to proof in a warm place until doubled again, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place a dish of boiling water on the bottom of the oven; spray bread lightly with a mister and bake in preheated oven for approx 35-40 minutes; after first 15 minutes, mist again with water, then again 10 minutes later.

Allow cooling then serve

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