Bread Meets Spread

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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“Have you heard of HUMMUS?” you might ask of a caveman recently unearthed after a million-year marathon nap. Now as ubiquitous as ketchup or salsa, hummus has managed to surpass all cultural boundaries, weaving its way into the homes and hearts of food lovers worldwide.

What might be a more relevant question in this day and age is:

“Have you heard of MASABACHA?”

Hummus’s lesser-know cousin should rank just as highly on the snacking scale, and yet somehow lacks the same renown, barely registering as a blip on the radar. Depending on your circle of friends, it might also be referred to as msabbaha, musabbaha, or even mashausha.

Consider it deconstructed hummus, replete with whole chickpeas and a tangy lemon tahini sauce to bind them all together. From that base, the sky’s the limit; fancier, more fun renditions include everything from pine nuts and paprika to a smattering of herbs and hard-boiled eggs. When you can choose your own adventure with such savory results, what’s not to love about this chunky chickpea dip?

Although I would never be so bold as to say that there’s room to improve on the classic, I would venture to suggest that there’s always room to innovate. Instead of serving up the tried and true masabacha with bread and the standard accoutrements, let’s skip the middleman and combine the whole array of irresistible flavors.

Bean-based bread is nothing new, but this particular yeast-risen loaf is a veritable ode to the humble legume, employing both chickpea flour and whole, seasoned and roasted garbanzo beans. Richly spiced with cumin, coriander, and my current favorite, smoked paprika, the aroma that engulfs the kitchen as it bakes is positively maddening. Just try not to tear into the hot, freshly baked loaf right away- it genuinely does improve with just a bit of patience. The spices take their sweet (and savory) time to mingle and for them to reach their collective peak of flavor, so it’s important to sit by and let it cool completely before diving in.

It is with great pleasure that I’m sharing this magnificent baked good in honor of the 9th Annual World Bread Day.

World Bread Day 2014 (submit your loaf on October 16, 2014)I haven’t missed a single celebration since the birth of BitterSweet, and I don’t intend to sit out for one yet! Although I hate picking favorites amongst recipes, this entry definitely ranks highly on my list of most crave-worthy submissions thus far. Be sure to check out the roundup coming in the next few days for more yeasted inspiration.

Yield: Makes 1 Loaf; 10 - 12 Servings

Masabacha Bread

Masabacha Bread

Chickpea flour and whole roasted garbanzo beans are the base for this bread that's richly spiced with cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika. It combines all the best parts of masabacha hummus into a tender, savory loaf.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 Cups White Whole Wheat or All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Chickpea Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
  • 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon Light Agave Nectar
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 1 (1/4 Ounce) Packet Dry Active Yeast
  • 1 1/4 Cups Warm Water
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Tahini
  • 1 Cup Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas, Store-Bought or Homemade
  • 1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts

Instructions

  1. Mix together both flours with all of the herbs and spices in a large bowl. Separately, whisk together the agave, salt, yeast, warm water, oil, and tahini. Once fully blended, let the mixture stand briefly until the yeast reawakens, becoming active and frothy. pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry, and mix well.
  2. Now would be a great time to pull out the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer if you have one, but no matter your equipment, stir thoroughly to bring the dough together with no remaining dry patches. The resulting dough should be fairly soft, but continue to knead it until smooth, elastic, and somewhat tacky; about 15 – 20 minutes by hand or 10 – 15 minutes by hook, with the mixer on the lowest setting.
  3. Lightly grease a large, clean bowl. Shape your kneaded dough into a smooth ball before dropping it in, rolling it around lightly to coat it with the oil. Cover loosely and and let it rest in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume. This could take anywhere from 45 minutes – 1 1/2 hours, depending on your climate.
  4. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and set aside. Once properly puffy, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use your knuckles to gently work through the air bubbles. Add in the chickpeas and pine nuts, kneading the whole loaf until the goodies are completely worked in and well-distributed.
  5. Work the dough into a rough rectangle no wider than the length of your pan, and roll the dough up into a neat cylinder. Place the dough log into the pan, seam side down, and let rest for another 30 – 60 minutes, until approximately doubled in size, or until it’s peeking about 1/4-inch over the rim of the pan. While you’re waiting, begin preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
  6. When the loaf is fully risen and the oven has reached the proper temperature, slide the pan into the oven. Immediately drop the heat down to 375 degrees and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until deeply golden brown all over. Let cool in the pan for about 10 – 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. No matter the temptation, all it to come all the way down to room temperature before slicing and enjoying.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 361Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 9gSugar: 3gProtein: 14g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Israeli / Category: Yeast Breads and Rolls

19 thoughts on “Bread Meets Spread”

  5. Another awesome twist of funky vegan fusion food…bread and spread together…that will save me a LOT of time at lunch ;). Cheers Ms Hannah, your efforts are supremely appreciated by this little black duck. Seeds on and soaking…soon we will plant! :)

  9. Masabacha! I thought I knew everything ‘hummus’ but I’ve certainly been surprised today :D This high-protein bread looks fantastic, and I oh so wish I had know about World Bread Day! I would have loved to have taken part as well and have made a note in my diary for next year already ;) Thank you for sharing!

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