This is a great recipe for a quick bread… done in less than 45 minutes. It’s a quick bread – so no kneading… but also is kind of a savory cake. But I make it and serve with spaghetti – and it’s awesome.
I’d feature a picture – but I’ve only made it once. And it was quite literally gobbled up. Next time!
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, sea-salt or coarse preferred
⅓ cup olive oil
1 cup water
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease 8″ round or square baking pan with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in stand mixer or food processor. Add oil and water. Watch consistency when adding water – pull back just a bit and don’t add all at once. If the dough isn’t a well defined ball – easy to handle – then add a little water. Not likely you’ll need to add flour, but you can if it’s just not right.
You’ll know when it’s ready – but don’t over-knead.
Press the dough into the prepared baking dish until it fits the edges. Flip it and do it again. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover, add a little salt (and garlic powder, if you choose), and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and springs back when touched gently. Cool in the pan a bit – then cut into wedges or squares and serve.
GRIDDLE VERSION: Even faster to the table. No oven… instead, preheat heavy cast-iron or other pan over medium heat. Instead of putting in baking pan, divide dough into 8 to 12 pieces and pat them into patties in your hand until they’re about ½ inches thick . When the pan is hot, coat with thin layer of olive oil and put as many breads as will fit comfortably without crowding (probably have to work in batches). Cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown around the edges and the tops bubble a bit – about 5 minutes. Then turn and cook the other side until crips and golden.
Kind of like a pancake. But not. A bread. A quick bread. Very quick.
Adapted from the “HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING VEGETARIAN” cookbook by Mark Bittman. May be the only cookbook you’ll ever need.