Bread Making Workshop

Nisa-Nashim Jewish-Muslim Women’s Network

led by Liz Ison, Eleri Larkum and Noor Ravalia

Wimbledon Synagogue, 21 January 2018

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The Breads

Bagel

A bagel is a bread roll traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring from yeasted wheat dough, that is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy bread.

Bagels were widely consumed in Ashkenazi Jewish communities from the 17th century in Eastern Europe.

The hole was used to thread string or dowels through groups of bagels, allowing for easier handling and transportation and more appealing seller displays. Bagels came to London’s East End in the nineteenth century with the large waves of Eastern European Jewish immigration.

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Indian Chapati

Chapati is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian Subcontinent. Chapati is usually made of whole wheat flour, salt and water, and is cooked on a tava (flat skillet). It is a common staple in the Indian subcontinent as well as amongst expatriates from the Indian subcontinent throughout the world. ,"means "slap (, َچپَت/The word chapat (Hindi/Urdu:चपत which describes the traditional method of forming rounds of thin dough by slapping the dough between the wetted palms of the hands. With each slap, the round of dough is rotated. Chapati is noted in the 16th-century document Ain-i-Akbari by Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, vizier of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

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Hallah

plural: challot) is a special bread in) ,(חַלָּה :Hallah (Hebrew Jewish cuisine, usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Shabbat and major Jewish holidays (except Passover). Ritually-acceptable challah is made of dough from which a small portion has been set aside as an offering.

According to Jewish tradition, Shabbat and festive meals begin with two loaves of bread. This "double loaf" commemorates the manna that fell from the heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert after the Exodus. The manna did not fall on Shabbat; instead, a double portion would fall the day before.

After the blessing for wine and bread on Shabbat, it is customary to eat the challah sprinkled with salt.

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Recipes

Bagels (rolls) Eleri Larkum

Dough

• 250g (9oz) strong bread flour • 1 teaspoon quick yeast • ½ teaspoon salt • 1-2 teaspoons sugar • 150ml (5 fl oz) • warm water

Poaching

• 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda • 1 tablespoon malt extract (or 3 tablespoons brown sugar) • Semolina

Toppings (poppy seeds or sesame seeds)

Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together (if using normal dry yeast, you’ll need to start it off with the sugar and some of the water five minutes or so ahead of time). Tip out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and springy - about 10 minutes.

Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. Divide the dough into six equal pieces (or more for smaller bagels).

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Shape the pieces into a smooth ball, and rest for about 10 minutes under a damp tea towel on an oiled surface.

Use a floured finger to make a hole in the middle of the ball, then roll it between one or two fingers on each hand to widen it out to a decent sized hole - it will close up again as it proves.

Back under the towel for another 10-15 minutes rest.

Preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/Gas Mark 9, and sprinkle your baking trays with semolina. Fill a large pan with water, add the bicarbonate of soda, and the malt or sugar, and bring to the boil, then keep it at a strong simmer. Lower the bagels into the water - as many as will float comfortably together - 3 or 4 probably.

(Tip: if you put them in upside-down, they’ll end up with their best foot forwards, so to speak).

Boil for 1-2 minutes, flip them over, and same again on the other side (a longer boiling time is meant to result in a chewier texture - possibly, but I wouldn’t worry if you’re in a hurry). Take them out, draining any excess water, and put straight on the semolina covered baking sheet. Add any toppings whilst still damp.

Bake at 250°C/475°F/Gas Mark 9 for 5 minutes, then rotate the trays and reduce the heat to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7 and bake for another 10 minutes or so (depending on size). They should be golden brown and firm.

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Indian Chapati (flat bread) Noor Ravalia

• 2 cups flour (chapati flour available in Asian shops and large supermarkets or ordinary white or brown flour) • 4 tablespoons of oil or 3 spoons of ghee (butter) • Quarter teaspoon of salt optional • Boiling water • Additional ghee or oil to need

In a medium sized bowl add in the flour. Combine the oil or ghee (melted clarified Butter). The mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in enough boiling water to form a soft dough, use a spoon to mix. Additional flour can be added if the dough becomes too sticky. Knead the dough well for at least 4 minutes or more.

Break off portions of the dough into golf ball sizes. Roll each dough ball into flat circles.

Toast each dough circle or roti on a hot tava or griddle. Smear each circle or roti with butter or margarine. Toast the roti until golden brown. Serve the roti hot.

Note: By adding oil or ghee to the dough it makes them soft and the chapaties can also be frozen and keep very well. When you take out of freezer defrost well and warm in microwave for a minute if there are several together.

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Chapatis taste delicious when just made, you can eat them as it is or add honey or jam on it, eat with your main meal with any vegetarian or meat dish or lentils.

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Hallah (plaited loaves) Liz Ison

This is based on the recipe by Judith Ish-Horowicz for making hallah with the children of Apples and Honey Nursery, Wimbledon.

Makes 2 large hallot or many small ones

For dough

• A 1.5 kg (3lb 5oz) bag strong white bread flour • Two 7g (¼oz) sachets of fast action dried yeast (14g – ½oz in total) • ¾-1 cup sugar • 3 heaped teaspoons of salt • 3 eggs (medium free range) • ¾ cup oil • 2 cups luke-warm water (generous) • Extra flour for handling the dough

For glaze

• 1 egg • Poppy seeds

Place all ingredients into bowl of mixer, dry ingredients first and then wet ones. Switch mixer on gently to prevent flour flying or water spraying. As the mixture becomes better blended, increase the speed gradually until the machine is dancing on the work top. Stop machine at least once during the process to stir in any of the mixture that is not mixing well. When the dough appears to be well

9 blended and elastic it is ready. (It is better to have a sticky dough as the cooked hallah will be lighter.)

Remove dough hook from mixture and cover bowl with cling film to prevent the top from crusting over. Leave it overnight to rise. If you have the chance, pummel the dough mixture once it has risen and leave it to rise again as it improves the flavour.

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Sprinkle flour onto prepared surface and tip the risen dough onto it. Knead the dough firmly but gently until it feels smooth and velvety, about 5 minutes using the palm of your hand and your fingers. Do not pull at it. If the dough starts to stick to your fingers sprinkle them with flour but don’t let the dough become dry and crumbly. Now is the time to add any extra ingredients, if you so wish (e.g. raisins, chocolate chips).

Divide the hallah into as many portions as you wish to make loaves. For each loaf, divide into three and roll each into a long rope. Then plait. After braiding, glaze the surface of the hallot with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.

Leave, covered, to rise again for about half an hour.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes (shorter baking time for smaller hallot) till base sounds hollow when tapped.

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