This recipe draws inspiration from traditional Palestinian bread. The dough is normally rolled paper-thin and stuffed with fresh za’atar leaves and a mixture of onion, sumac and cheese. After stuffing, the dough is folded into an envelope shape, then fried or baked.
I have substituted fresh za’atar with oregano, as it’s easier to find, and have turned it into a loaf, which is dead easy to make. I like serving it in slices while it’s warm, or slightly toasted, spread with butter or, even better, with a bowl of olive oil and some za’atar to dip chunks of bread into.
Ingredients
- 270g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp mahleb (a powdered spice derived from cherry stones, available from souschef.co.uk)
- 15g sesame seeds
- 2 tsp nigella seeds
- 2 medium eggs
- 260ml whole milk
- 60ml olive oil
- 30g oregano leaves
- 100g feta, roughly crumbled
- 50g halloumi, roughly chopped
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Line a 20cm x 10cm x 7cm loaf tin with baking parchment. Set aside.
Step 2
Put 270g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp mahleb, 2 tsp sesame seeds, 1½ tsp nigella seeds and 1¼ tsp salt into a large bowl and mix well to combine.
Step 3
