Hummus Bread

It sometimes amazes me how flavored bread can be made from almost any ingredient you desire. Want tomato bread? Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, or sundried tomtoes. How about Pumpkin Bread? Add mashed pumpkin. The list could go on and still the imagination would continue on. The most surprising one by far is the addition of Hummus to bread dough. Hummus is the Middle Eastern dip made from chickpeas and tahini. This recipe is adapted from one if KAF'S Whole Grain Baking. It has intrigued me ever since I first saw it and I'm so glad that I had extra hummus left over from my Shabbat lunch-- enough to make a few loaves. But I stopped at one- and it's a good thing I did because I think I could single-handedly polish off the whole thing. In terms of flavor, I think it's one of the most successful breads I've made to date. An easily kneadable straigh dough redolent with the heady scent of sesame, it bakes up to a nice, light golden loaf with a nice bite from the seeds. The smooth hummus contributes an ethereally silky texture to the crumb. This loaf would be great for sandwiches. But if you're a bread lover like me, you won't mind eating it by the slice, all by its lonesome.

Hummus Bread
adapted from KAF Whole Grain Baking

6 ounces water
8 ounces hummus
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sesame seeds
flour as needed
Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to make a shaggy dough.Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth. Give it a rest if it needs one.Here the dough is completely kneaded. Place in a clean, greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled. Here is the risen dough.

Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface.Pat the dough into a rectangle.Roll up jelly roll style. Tuck the ends into make a shorter loaf.Place the loaf into a greased 8x4 inch pan and allow to proof.The dough is ready for baking.Bake the dough in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. That crack happened all on its own. The beautifully golden, moist crumb.