Za'atar Finger Bread
By America's Test KitchenPublished on December 15, 2020
Time
1½ hours, plus 24 hours chilling and 2 hours resting
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer to use our homemade Za'atar, but you can use store-bought za'atar; different za'atar blends include varying salt amounts. You can use your preferred coarse finishing salt in this recipe. Plan ahead; you will need to refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days before baking.
Instructions
- Pulse flour, yeast, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. With processor running, slowly add ice water and process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of bowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Coat rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Gently press down on dough to deflate any large gas pockets. Transfer dough to prepared sheet and, using your fingertips, press out to uniform thickness, taking care not to tear dough. (Dough may not fit snugly into corners.) Cover loosely with greased plastic and let dough rest for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Using your fingertips, gently press dough into corners of sheet and dimple entire surface. Combine remaining 6 tablespoons oil and za'atar in bowl. Using back of spoon, spread oil mixture in even layer over entire surface of dough to edge. Bake until bottom crust is evenly browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let bread cool in sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to cutting board with metal spatula. Sprinkle with finishing salt to taste, tear into large pieces, and serve warm.
Time
1½ hours, plus 24 hours chilling and 2 hours restingYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
To showcase the za'atar, we started by kneading together a simple dough; stretching it across a baking sheet; and slathering it with the oil-moistened za'atar. The top was a delight, but the bottom of the bread paled in comparison—it was blond and limp. Coating the pan with a generous amount of olive oil essentially fried the bottom of the flatbread as it baked, and shifting the oven rack to the lower-middle position created a crisp, golden base.
Before You Begin
We prefer to use our homemade Za'atar, but you can use store-bought za'atar; different za'atar blends include varying salt amounts. You can use your preferred coarse finishing salt in this recipe. Plan ahead; you will need to refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days before baking.
Instructions
- Pulse flour, yeast, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. With processor running, slowly add ice water and process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of bowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Coat rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Gently press down on dough to deflate any large gas pockets. Transfer dough to prepared sheet and, using your fingertips, press out to uniform thickness, taking care not to tear dough. (Dough may not fit snugly into corners.) Cover loosely with greased plastic and let dough rest for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Using your fingertips, gently press dough into corners of sheet and dimple entire surface. Combine remaining 6 tablespoons oil and za'atar in bowl. Using back of spoon, spread oil mixture in even layer over entire surface of dough to edge. Bake until bottom crust is evenly browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let bread cool in sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to cutting board with metal spatula. Sprinkle with finishing salt to taste, tear into large pieces, and serve warm.
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