Aish Baladi - Egyptian Flatbread

Aish Baladi is an Egyptian whole wheat flat bread that looks a lot like pita bread, but is unique to Egypt.

In ancient Egypt, Aish Baladi was made with emmer, an ancestor of modern wheat.

The modern version of Aish Baladi is made with 100 percent whole wheat flour, and is even coated with wheat bran. This bread is really easy to make, as long as you have a very hot oven fitted with a baking stone. I've also seen sites that demonstrate it being baked on the stove top.

If you are interested in working with ancient grains, you can make this bread with emmer. Emmer, along with other ancient grains, is actually enjoying a revival, and is now grown in the Pacific Northwest, among other places. If you want to make this bread with emmer, you will have to special order it, unless, perhaps, you have a very well stocked Middle Eastern grocery in your area. If you follow this blog, you may be aware of my ingredient obsession. For once, I resisted the temptation (how did that happen?).

Some of my favorite quotes from the website Arab America about this bread....

"Wheat had an important status in the Ancient Egyptian economy..... Emmer earned its worth from it's high fiber content... it was the food that both the rich and the poor ate, and it was a sacred plant to ancient Egyptian Gods..."

"Even today, growing wheat brings happiness, hope, and thankfulness to God by Egyptian farmers and their families."

"Aish means 'life,' which is how Egyptians have perceived bread since ancient times. Bread is considered a commodity that Egyptians cannot live without in their daily diet.... It never fails to make a person feel full and happy."

This bread's whole grain flavor shines through. It is typically served warm from the oven after a brief rest, and is used to sop up sauces and fill with whatever's on the dinner table.

For a sweeter and softer Egyptian bread, be sure to try Shoreek. It's amazing in an entirely different way. 

When my friend Sue from Palatable Pastime suggested a bunch of us share Egyptian recipes, I couldn't resist. After all, the Nile River Delta is the original bread basket of the world.

For more #EatLikeAnEgyptian recipes, be sure to check out the links after the recipe.

Aish Baladi - Egyptian Flatbread Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (10.6 ounces) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups warm (about 100 degrees F) water
• Wheat bran for coating (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water, mix with your hand or a dough whisk, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for one hour.
2. Set a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven, and preheat the oven to as high as it will go.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Cover with oiled plastic wrap.
4. Sprinkle two pieces of parchment paper with wheat bran. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll each into a ball, and then flatten each into a 5 inch round. Sprinkle the top with more wheat bran.
5. Cover with tea towels, and let rest for 30 minutes while the oven is heating, until puffy.
6. Using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet, transfer the parchment sheets to the baking stone, one sheet at a time, and bake for 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool briefly, and then serve immediately.

Yield: 8 flatbreads

Recipe adapted from Saveur


Welcome to #EatLikeAnEgyptian! Today we are having fun exploring our favorite Egyptian cuisine recipes to commemorate the holiday of Eid-el-Fitr, which begins at sundown.

• Aish Baladi from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Baklava from All That’s Jas
• Egyptian Feta Spread from Cooking with Carlee
• Egyptian Mint Lemonade from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Ful Medames from Caroline’s Cooking
• Lahma Bil Basal from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Macaroni Bechamel from Palatable Pastime