Sweet Provençal Flatbread With Anise Seeds

dicentra's Note:

A friend of mine posted a link to this on her Face Book page. Posting here for safe keeping. From the Verdant Eats blog. http://verdanteats.wordpress.com/ The recipe originally comes from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoey Francois

• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 batch

• 2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
• 1 ½ tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon whole anise seed (for the dough, plus more for topping)
• 1⁄3; cup sugar
• zest from half an orange , removed with a microzester
• 6 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (can swap out 1 to 2 cups whole wheat or rye)
• flour , for dusting
• water , to paint on top crust

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bucket or mixing bowl, cover loosely and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Refrigerate for up to two weeks, removing portions as needed for daily loaves. The wet dough can be used at room temperature but is easier to handle when cold.
3. Cut off a pound of dough (about the size of a grapefruit) with a kitchen scissors or a serrated knife.
4. Gently form a smooth ball by generously dusting the ball with flour and stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
5. Using your hands, a rolling pin, and enough dusting flour to prevent sticking, flatten the ball to a thickness of 1/4-inch.
6. Like pizza (1/8-inch thick dough), these don’t need to rest after you roll them out. Keeping your work surface well-dusted with flour, use a pizza cutter to make eight triangular flatbreads.
7. Using a spatula or your fingers, lift the triangles onto a greased cookie sheet, a silicone mat, or a pizza peel well-dusted with flour or covered with parchment paper.
8. Use a pastry brush to paint the triangles with water and sprinkle with anise seeds.
9. Slide them onto the pre-heated baking stone (or place the cookie sheet or silicone pad on the stone). Pour 1 cup of tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.
10. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until richly browned and firm.