Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [150]
1(¼-ounce) package active dry yeast
1¼ cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra
whole leaves for garnish
3 cups all-purpose flour, or 1½ cups each all-purpose and whole wheat
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for brushing
Coarse salt for garnish
Optional stuff to knead into the dough: chopped kalamata olives, sautéed shallots, cracked black pepper, chopped fresh sage, parsley, or oregano
COMBINE THE yeast and warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil, chopped rosemary, and flour, and knead to form a soft dough. If the dough is sticky, work in a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, until smooth. Pour a little olive oil in the original bowl, add the kneaded dough, and turn a few times to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 1 hour, or until a hole poked into the side of the risen dough fills up slowly.
Punch down the dough, return it to the floured surface, and knead a few times. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large circle about 1½ inches thick. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Poke several holes into the dough with a fork, sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary leaves, and brush with a little oil (or even soy milk, for a matte finish). Cover again with dish towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the bread is lightly browned and firm. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
POPPY SEED-CORNMEAL ROTI
MAKES 8 SMALL ROTI
TIME: 30 MINUTES
Tasty alongside either East or West Indian cuisine, these little roti are not nearly as big as traditional the West Indian-style flatbread but still a good size for dipping and scooping chunky stews. The addition of poppy seeds makes them crunchy, munchy good, and leftovers are fabulous for breakfast. Rolling and folding the dough maybe gets a little tedious, but with practice you can have soft, flaky,“ buttery” flatbread in under 30 minutes. Make these while that curry or soup is simmering on the stove.
➣For even more tender roti, use 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour and 1½ cups regular whole wheat flour for the dough. As a variation, add ½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to the dough while kneading.
Roti dough: 3 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups warm water
Crumbs: ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, plus additional oil for brushing
¼ teaspoon salt
Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, poppy and cumin seeds, and salt. Stir in the water and mix to form a soft dough. Knead the dough in the bowl for 5 to 6 minutes; the dough will be soft and slightly moist. If the dough is very sticky, knead in a little extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Coat the dough in a little oil by pouring a tablespoon of oil onto the dough and turning it several times in the bowl. Cover with a damp, clean dish towel and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
In a small separate bowl, make the crumbs: Combine the flour, cornmeal, oil, and salt. Mix with fingers or a fork until a dry, crumbly mixture forms.
After the dough has rested, divide into six to eight balls on a surface dusted with flour. Flatten a ball into as thin a circle as possible and brush with oil. Fold the circle in half, brush with more oil, and fold again. Stretch the folded circle into a round shape, roll it out again into a flat circle, and brush with more oil. This time, sprinkle on some crumbs. Repeat folding in half, brushing with oil, and sprinkling with crumbs. Then fold it in half again and pull and roll one last time into a thin round.