Anonymous Fri Oct 07 16:43:45 2005

3 c Plain flour

1 pk Active dry yeast

1/2 c Warm water

1/2 c Warm milk

-- (water may be substitued)

1 ts Salt

2 ts Sugar

2 tb Oil

Sesame seeds

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix in remaining ingredients except sesame seeds, using

more or less flour, as necessary, to form a workable dough. Knead dough until smooth;

shape into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled

in bulk. Punch down and turn out onto a floured surface to shape. Form dough into a thick

rope about 20 inches in length, slightly tapered at each end. Place rope in the shape of a

ring on a greased baking sheet, overlapping and tucking under ends. Cover and let rise

again. Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.). Brush bread with water and sprinkle with sesame

seeds. Bake until bread is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Variation - Elioti (Olive Bread):

Prepare 1 quantity of Kouloura dough, as directed above. During first rising, saute 1

medium onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil until transparent. Lightly smash 1 cup of Greek

black olives with a wooden mallet or knife handle to split; remove pits from olives. Mix

olives and

onions together and let cool. After punching down dough, turn onto a floured surface and

roll out to form a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cover rectangle with onion and olive

mixture, leaving a border around edges. Starting at one long end, roll up dough and shape

into a loaf. Press edges closed. Place loaf on a greased baking sheet and slash

diagonally in three or four places. Cover and let rise again until double in size. Bake in a

preheated 375 F. (190 C.) oven about 35-40 minutes. Adapted by Karen Mintzias, from a

recipe in: