-
1
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl.
-
2
Stir to dissolve.
-
3
Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time.
-
4
Stir the dough 100 times in the same direction, about 1 minute, to develop the gluten.
-
5
Add 2 teaspoons salt, then continue adding flour until the dough is too stiff to stir.
-
6
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
-
7
Clean and lightly oil the bread bowl.
-
8
Add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
-
9
Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and arrange quarry tiles, if you have them, on the rack, leaving a 1-inch gap between the tiles and the oven walls.
-
10
If you have no quarry tiles, place 1 large or 2 small baking sheets on the rack to preheat.
-
11
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
-
12
Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
-
13
Divide into 6 pieces.
-
14
Using lightly floured hands, flatten each piece into a 4to 5-inch round.
-
15
Cover the rounds with a dry cloth.
-
16
Keeping the remaining pieces covered as you work, roll each dough round out on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch round.
-
17
The dough may spring back as you roll; it's best to work on 2 or 3 dough rounds at a time, alternating between them, to give the gluten time to stretch before you resume rolling.
-
18
Then cover the large rounds with plastic wrap and let rise for 10 minutes.
-
19
Working with 2 breads at a time, using a bread stamp or a fork, stamp the center portion of each bread; work from the center out until the dough is thoroughly pricked and flattened, leaving a 1 1/2- to 2-inch rim all around.
-
20
Sprinkle a scant teaspoon of scallions, a generous pinch of cumin seed and a generous pinch of salt over the center of each bread, then dip your fingers in water and sprinkle the centers of the breads.
-
21
Slide each round onto a baker's peel or flour-dusted baking sheet and slide off onto the quarry tiles or preheated baking sheet.
-
22
Bake until the tops of the breads begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
-
23
Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes, then wrap in a cloth to keep soft and warm.
-
24
Repeat with the remaining dough, scallions, cumin and salt.
-
25
Serve warm.
