Shared by Yafit Amara
Shared by Yafit Amara
Dabo (Ethiopian Bread)
Yield: 1 oven-baked dabo loaf or 10-12 pan breadsTime: 45min plus 2h for rising
Dabo (Ethiopian Bread)
Yield: 1 oven-baked dabo loaf or 10-12 pan breadsTime: 45min plus 2h for risingThis recipe was shared by Yafit Amara. Read more about her family in "An Ethiopian Bread Finds a Home on an Israeli Kibbutz."
Ingredients
- 1 pound all-purpose flour
- 1 pound whole wheat flour
- 1¼ tablespoon dry yeast
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground fenugreek
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ tablespoon nigella seeds
- 3 - 3 ½ cups lukewarm water
- ¼ cup neutral oil, like sunflower or canola
- 1 tablespoon salt
Preparation
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, yeast, sugar, fenugreek, coriander, and nigella seeds.
Step 2
Add 3 cups of the water and, mixing by hand, knead until the dough just starts to come together, adding a ¼ cup of water more at a time if the dough still feels dry. Add the oil and knead until incorporated and then add the salt continuing to knead until the dough is even in texture and quite sticky, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3
Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for at least an hour in a warm place, until double in size.
Step 4
When the first rise is complete, wet your hands and punch the dough down, kneading lightly for 1-2 minutes. Cover and let rise again, 30-45 minutes.
Step 5
Knead with wet hands for the third time and let rise for the last time before baking, about 30-45 minutes. After each knead/rise, the dough should rise more quickly and begin to develop texture. In winter when it’s colder, you might need to let the dough rise for longer).
Step 6
Bake the Dabo (choose your method):
Oven baking: Preheat the oven to 500°. Line a 9x13” baking dish with parchment paper. With wet hands, move the risen dough to the dish and press and spread it out evenly to fill the dish. Place in the oven and bake at 500° for 10 minutes, then lower to 350° and continue baking for 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and tapping on the hardened bottom makes a hollow sound. Let bread cool and serve at room temperature.
Pan baking: Heat a large skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan. With wet hands, pinch off a handful of dough (a little smaller than the size of a baseball) and place it in the pan pressing down with your fingertips to form a rough oval shape. Add another 1-2 handfuls of dough, depending on how much space you have in the pan. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes until browned on the bottom. Flip using a spatula (or flip right in the pan if you’re brave!), cover and cook for another 5-8 minutes, until browned on the other side. Move to a serving plate and enjoy immediately.
