This one is from
King Arthur Flour. It's
Moppin' and Soakin' Bread:
That's mopping, as in mopping up stew or spaghetti sauce. And soaking, as in soaking up that last little bit of broth from the leftover New Year's Hoppin' John, or the always-comforting pasta fagioli (bean and pasta soup). This soft, absorbent flatbread can be cut into 1" slices (for the aforementioned mopping or soaking), or into rectangles, which can then be slit into top and bottom slices for sandwiches. However you slice it, this is just one fine, tasty bread. We like to add mild-tasting whole spelt flour for added fiber and a richer color, but use entirely all-purpose if you desire.
Starter
1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) whole spelt flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cool water
pinch of instant yeast
Dough
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) olive oil
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) cool water
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons (5/8 ounce) Baker's Special Dry Milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce) Pizza Dough Flavor (optional, but delicious)
2 teaspoons instant yeast
Topping
seasoned salt, dried herbs, and/or cracked black pepper
To make the starter: Stir together the spelt, water, and yeast in a medium-sized bowl. Cover the bowl, and let it rest at cool room temperature for 14 to 16 hours, until it's expanded and bubbly.
To make the dough: Combine the starter and the remaining dough ingredients, and mix and knead-by hand, mixer, or bread machine-to make a smooth, soft dough. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it's quite puffy.
Heavily oil an 18" x 13" half-sheet pan (or similar-sized pan); or two 9" x 13" pans; I like to splash 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil into the bottom of the pan. Gently deflate the dough, and stretch it out on the pan, stretching it as far as possible to cover the bottom of the pan. It'll shrink back; that's OK. Turn the bread over in the pan, so its top is thoroughly coated with oil. Walk away from it, and 20 minutes later stretch it out again. You probably won't get it to cover the entire bottom of the pan; don't stress about it. Cover the pan with a proof cover, if you have one. If not, cover it with heavily greased (olive-oiled) plastic wrap, draping it lightly over the dough. Allow the flatbread to rise for about 90 minutes, until it's nice and puffy. Drizzle it heavily with olive oil, enough that it pools in places. Sprinkle with dried herbs, or with seasoned salt and freshly ground pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the flatbread for 20 to 25 minutes, until it's golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and use a giant spatula, or a regular spatula with some help from your other hand, to remove it from the baking sheet. Return the flatbread to the oven, laying it directly on the oven rack. Turn the oven off, and leave the oven door open. Allow the flatbread to cool in the cooling oven; this will help preserve its crunchy crust. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Yield: Depends on what you're doing with it. Enough for six large sandwiches, or plenty for 6 to 8 people to mop and soak.