Maqnoosh Bread

Ingredients

• 500 g [half a kilo, 3 3/4 cups] flour
• 350 ml [1 3/4 cups] room-temperature water
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a little / to taste sesame seeds
• a little / to taste nigella seeds
• a little oil
• half the liquid amount in place of half the water amount milk
• may be added mahlab
• a pinch coarse salt
• may be used to taste sugar for decoration

Instructions

1. Place the room-temperature water in the mixing bowl.
2. Add the yeast and sugar to the mixing bowl, and leave the mixture briefly until it activates.
3. Add the flour to the mixing bowl after the yeast has activated.
4. Add the salt on top of the flour in the mixing bowl.
5. Knead the ingredients in the mixing bowl or with a stand mixer until a cohesive dough forms.
6. Grease a baking tray with a little oil.
7. Divide the dough in the mixing bowl into two portions and shape them into two balls.
8. Place the two balls on the baking tray and leave them for about 1 hour until they rise.
9. Transfer one ball to a second baking tray if necessary, leaving the other on the baking tray.
10. Flatten each dough ball on the baking tray into a round shape of approximately even thickness.
11. Lightly spray water over the surface of the dough on the baking tray.
12. Press four fingers into the dough on the baking tray, leaving about 1 cm around the edges.
13. Sprinkle a pinch of coarse salt over the surface of the dough on the baking tray.
14. Scatter sesame seeds and nigella seeds over the surface of the dough on the baking tray, to taste.
15. Leave the dough on the baking tray for approximately 15 minutes, or a little longer if you are not in a hurry.
16. Set the oven to 220°C with both top and bottom heat on.
17. Bake the baking tray in the center of the oven until the bread is cooked through and browned.
18. Brush the bread surface with a little oil after baking; this is optional.