Barley Za'atar Bread
A rustic, hearty loaf made with a blend of barley, whole wheat, and white flours, perfumed with za'atar. Crusty on the outside, soft and fragrant inside.
Method
A simple, fragrant loaf that fills the kitchen with the smell of za’atar as it bakes — perfect with labneh, olive oil, or just on its own.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl: white flour, whole wheat flour, barley flour, za'atar, salt, and yeast.
Add the warm water and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead well for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1–1.5 hours.
Preheat the oven to 120°C.
Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in a baking dish or tin. Cover and allow it to rest while the oven heats.
Place the covered loaf in the oven and increase the temperature to 250°C with top and bottom heat.
Bake covered for about 30 minutes until fully baked through.
Remove the cover and lower the temperature to 220°C. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until the loaf develops a nice golden crust.
Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
The totalTime does not include the 1–1.5 hours of proofing. Be patient with the cooling — cutting into hot bread releases steam and makes the crumb gummy. The barley flour gives this loaf a slightly nutty, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with the za'atar.
