I tested this bread four times in one week. The idea for a spiced, savory loaf that didn’t need a sourdough starter had been swirling in my head for a couple of weeks and I had been researching and tweaking until I got the flavors right. Trial Loaf #1 was proofed overnight and baked first thing in the morning. It was a thing of beauty. The crust was golden, the scoring was symmetrical, and the crumb had little threads of ground spices and scallions marbled throughout. The weather, however, was the absolute worst and it stormed all day. It was the kind of storm where those heavy gray clouds filled the sky and though I waited all day, there was never enough light in my house to photograph it. So we did it again. Trial Loaf #2 was fine. I tried playing a bit with the proofing times and didn’t give it a cold proof, which left a little to be desired when it came to oven spring. For Trial #3, I changed the hydration and salt levels and it ended up being both the best tasting and ugliest loaf so far. Figures. By the time we got around to Trial Loaf #4, I’d had my fair share of spiced scallion semolina bread. Luckily, in this case, the fourth time was the charm and though I wasn’t thrilled with the scoring, I was able to get a few passable photographs. All of this to say, if it first you don’t succeed, keep baking bread until you never want to see a loaf again.

All of that being said, this is a fantastic loaf of bread. Like I mentioned before, it doesn’t use a sourdough starter so if you are uninterested in the ten-day culture making process, this one is for you. The procedure does follow that of an artisan bread, with a longer bulk fermentation, followed by an overnight cold-proof. It’s ultra-savory, and has a flavor a little like that of a scallion pancake. You could definitely sub in caramelized onions if you don't have scallions, toss in a little roasted garlic, or experiment with the spices. Don’t skimp on that semolina flour though! It gives a bright, yellow color and a slightly more coarsely ground texture to the final loaf that you won’t want to miss.

Lastly, because I was close to drowning in a sea of spiced scallion semolina bread last month, I can say with great authority that this bread makes excellent breakfast sandwiches. Swoosh it with a little mayo or aioli, pile on your favorite greens and top it with a fried egg. Bon Appetite!

Spiced Scallion Semolina Bread 

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients: 

12 oz (340 g) warm water

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp honey

2 T (20 g) olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl and sautéing the scallions

2 tsp kosher salt

250 g all purpose flour

200 g semolina flour

1 bunch (7-8) scallions, trimmed and chopped

1 T cumin seeds

1 T fennel seeds

Procedure: 

to make the dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine water, honey, and yeast. Let set for 5 minutes, until yeast is foamy. 

2. Add olive oil, all purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt and mix on low speed until flour is combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 3-5 minutes, until a cohesive dough forms and is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. 

3. Transfer dough to a large bowl that has been rubbed with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap.

proofing the dough and making the spiced scallions (first proof: total of 3 hours)

1. Let proof for 1 hour. 

2. While the dough is proofing, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add chopped scallions and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened. Roughly chop cumin and fennel seeds and then add them to the pan with the scallions. Cook another minute or two, until the mixture is fragrant, and then remove from heat and let cool completely. 

3. After an hour of proofing, perform a fold on the dough. Gently pull the dough from the bottom, out and over the top of the dough. Turn the bowl 90° and repeat. Do this four times in total, until you have folded all four sides of the dough. Cover dough, and let proof for another hour. 

4. After the second hour, repeat the same series of folds as the first time. Add the cooled spiced scallion mixture, and gently pinch it in until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover and proof for one more hour. 

shaping the dough (and an overnight proof)

1. After the final hour, turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Flour it the top and gently press into a rectangle. Pull the bottom of the dough out and fold up, about 2/3 of the way up the rectangle. Pull the left and right sides out and fold them in, over the center of the dough, and then flip the entire parcel up over the top third of the dough, like you are closing an envelope. Cover with a dish towel and let rest for 15-20 minutes. 

2. After this resting period, you will form the final shape of the dough and transfer it to proofing baskets to complete its final rise. To shape the dough, use your bench knife to flip your round over on the surface, so that your smooth side is down. This will be the outer crust of your bread. Gently pat the dough into a rough rectangle shape. Grasp the bottom lip of the dough and fold it up, about 2/3 of the way, like you are folding a letter. Press the edge into the dough. Grasp the right side of the dough, stretch it out and over so that it crosses to the left side. Repeat this with the left side. You should have an envelope looking dough shape now. Grab the top side of the dough, stretch it out slightly and fold it over the entire package like you are closing an envelope. Take hold of the dough nearest to you and flip the entire package up and over (away from you) so that all of the seams are on the bottom. Wrap the basket in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to rest overnight.

baking the bread: 

1. When you are ready to bake, place a large Dutch oven with a lid in your oven and preheat to 500° F. You want the Dutch oven to be very hot when you add your bread to it.  

2. When your oven and pot are preheated, carefully remove the Dutch oven. Flip your dough out of the basket onto a piece of parchment paper. Quickly, use a knife or a lame to score the top of your dough and then grab the sides of the parchment paper and carefully lower it into the Dutch oven. Place the lid back on the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes, covered. 

3. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the lid from the Dutch oven and lower the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

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