Flat and Not Flat Breads

In Palestine, flat breads are baked on heated stones. The method can be replicated with river stones purchased from Home Depot. The heated stones give the bread an uneven texture with pockets of air, toasted peaks, and soft spaces in between. Sourdough gives the bread a tiny kick of additional flavor and a little extra chewiness.

We served ours with ful: a mash of fava beans, lemon juice, and garlic. Ful is traditional breakfast in Palestine and Egypt.

Sourdough bread with spelt, an ancestor grain of wheat, In the background is fermenting kimchi, spicy Korean pickled cabbage.

Later in the week I was asked to give a guest lecture for a class called Judaism, Food, and Justice. I wanted to make a loaf large enough to feed 20 students to introduce them to the satisfaction that comes with sharing homemade bread with company. I talked about the history of bread, the religious imperative to feed the hungry (all religions abide this custom), and the association I make between the slow, intentional process of making sourdough bread and Shabbat. 

When class was over students asked for seconds and thirds. I was left in an empty classroom with a cutting board, a knife, and a few crumbs.