Kouloura (cypriot Bread Ring)

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water, warm
• 1/2 cup milk, warm
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• water
• sesame seeds

Recipe

• 1 sift the flour into a bowl and warm in a slow oven.
• 2 dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, add the remaining water, milk, salt and sugar.
• 3 remove about 1 cup flour from the bowl and reserve.
• 4 pour yeast mixture into centre and stir in enough flour to thicken the liquid.
• 5 cover and leave in a warm place until frothy.
• 6 stir in the rest of the flour in the bowl, adding oil gradually, then beating for about 10 minutes by hand.
• 7 knead in the reserved flour by hand either in the bowl or on a board.
• 8 just add enough to stop the dough sticking and knead until smooth and sainy- about 10 minutes.
• 9 shape into a ball.
• 10 oil the bowl, add dough smooth side down and turn over so that the top is oiled.
• 11 cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size.
• 12 punch down and turn onto a lightly floured board.
• 13 flatten out into a circle and then roll up firmly.
• 14 roll back and forth with palms of hands so that it form a thich rope 50 cm long, tapering in at each end.
• 15 lift onto a greased baking sheet and form into a ring, overlap ends and tuck under loaf.
• 16 cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place.
• 17 preheat oven to 375 f.
• 18 brush bread with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• 19 bake in a moderately hot oven for 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked.
• 20 cool on a rack.