My recipe is inspired by various traditional breads and rusks from Crete. Scroll down to see my latest variation with beer instead of wine, additional spices, and two different flours (oat and rye) besides the basic barley, and wheat. Read more about the origin and history of Paximadia.
For 16 large (4 1/2 Inch) biscuits
The meticulous method and the various phases are copied from Peter Reinhart’s “Whole Grain Breads“, as it was published in the NYT, but I start with the ingredients my ancestors have been using for ages: A combination of barley and wheat flour, honey and spring water; see also this very interesting piece on what is the best flour to use for the starter.
To see what the mixture looks like in the various stages, go to Pete Bakes blog (more…)
I like to vary and experiment with my breads and savory biscotti using, instead of water, pulps of greens and/or vegetables like squash.
In the summer I make this flavorful flat bread using leftover tomato-onion-and-caper salad. We liked it so much that we wanted also make it in the winter, when vine-ripened tomatoes are not available, so I use a combination of sun-dried tomatoes with some of the usually flavorful cherry ones (See Note).
Yields 2 laganes (focaccia-like flat breads)
