Somun: Bosnian Flat Bread
I have friends from Bosnia that have a huge lamb roast every year, and every year there is a discussion about the Somun and how the store bought bread doesn't live up to fresh made. I've decided to break my own rule of not attempting to compete with a childhood memory and take up this challenge and attempt to get something close or at least better than the store bread for next year's lamb roast.
My biggest challenge is I've never actually had the original bread, so I will be guessing. Also, I was already contemplating with the no knead bread the week before the 2016 lamb roast when several ppl encouraged me to give this a stab.
I'm not a baker by nature as I've always been told you must be precise in measurements and you cannot tinker with recipes too much. This goes against my instincts since I know nature is not consistent. The ingredients change flavors and textures depending on the earth, the rain, the wind the sun. What makes the ideal mix today is unlikely to be the ideal mix tomorrow. Despite this, I have started the process and will document it here.
My first attempt has influence from several websites, I definitely want the very long fermentation time no matter what as it's the healthiest option that develops the most flavor in bread.
- 100g bread flour
- 100g A/P flour
- 4g (1 tsp) Kosher salt-fine
- 2g baking powder (for extra lift to form the pocket)
- 3g yeast (regular)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 140g water
Yeast and sugar were stirred into warm water and set aside, the remaining ingredients were mixed in a large bowl. Once fermentation begins in the yeast mixture it is added to the dry goods. Everything is mixed until a shaggy dough forms. The bowl is covered with plastic and left to rest 12-16 hours. (In full disclosure an appt ran late and the dough was left closer 18 hours.) The dough is currently in the fridge for 3-5 days, keep your fingers crossed!
Comments
3-5 days in the fridge - thank goodness this bread iss supposed to bake up flat:-) Usually this bread doubles twice after gluten development and then rolled into 1/2" thick circles like a pita then baked at 450 F. No 18 hours and 2-5 days in the fridge.
Hope your version works out.
Yes but the no knead bread typically has a very long rise time to allow the gluten to develop. The time in the fridge is to give flavor time to develop. You may have missed that the yeast content is very low, especially if you are used to measuring instead of weighing.
My grandmother used to bake bread/rolls much this way (and cinnamon rolls!!). She would prepare the dough, knead, rise punch down then into the fridge for up to a week. The day of baking you form the shape allow it to come to temp and have the final rise time. She of course prepared a batch for the next week at the same time. I think of it as a hybrid between dough and starter, there is probably.
She is long gone now, but so many people loved her bread she started a small side business selling bread, yeast rolls and cinnamon rolls (none were flat).
This bread was incredible! Perfect for soup or pasta, crust was crisp and bread was chewy, my only regret was not making more.
There was no pocket formed, so it didn't quite meet it's goal but since it was the best bread I've ever made it cannot be considered anything but a success. Would make a great pizza dough.