- 8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1-3/4 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon anise seed
- 2-1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 2 cups whole barley flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing dough and baking sheets
- 1/4 cup sweet red wine such as Mavrodaphne or port
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
Preparation
Step 1
In a 4-cup bowl, dilute the honey in 3/4 cup of the warm water. Add the yeast. Stir and let the mixture proof for 10 minutes.
In a mortar, beat the salt and anise seed with a pestle into a coarse grind.
Into a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose, barley flour and the salt and anise seed mixture. Make a well in the center. To the well, add the yeast mixture, the olive oil, the sweet and dry wines, and 1/4 cup of the warm water.
With a large wooden spoon, draw the dry ingredients towards the center as you mix them with the wet ingredients to form a sticky dough. Continue to incorporate ingredients by kneading the dough in the bowl, adding a little more water or all-purpose flour as needed to produce a smooth consistency. The dough has a pungent, earthy odor.
Form a ball with your hands. Coat the surface with a few drops of olive oil. Place in large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free spot for about 1-1/4 hours, or until double in bulk. Grease 2 large baking sheets with olive oil.
Cut the dough in half and divide each half into quarters. Form each piece into a 1-inch-thick cord 12 inches long. Connect the ends of each piece to form a doughnut, about 4-1/4 inches in diameter. Place the 8 doughnuts on the baking sheets, spaced 1-1/4 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1-1/4 to 2 hours, until the circles are pump.
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Place the paximadia into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375 F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the breads are a light gold on top.
Remove the paximadia from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to its lowest setting, 175 to 200 F.
Using a very sharp knife, split the paximadia in half, as you would a bagel.
Place the halves directly on the oven rack and bake to a hard, dry crisp for 1-1/4 to 2 hours. Set aside to cool. Place in airtight tins.
Paximadia will keep stored this way for up to six months.