Eish Baladi (Egyptian High Hydration Flatbread)

Instructions

1. Make the preferment (Aish): In a bowl, mix 200 g of flour, 200 ml of water, and 1 g of dry active yeast until well combined with a sticky batter-like consistency. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours until doubled in size and bubbly.
2. Assemble the bread dough: In a stand mixer bowl, add the preferment, remaining 300 g flour, remaining 6 g yeast, 10 g sugar, 10 g salt, and half of the remaining 200 ml water (100 ml). Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms (about 1 minute). Knead on low speed for 5 minutes until smooth.
3. Incorporate remaining water: With the mixer running on low, gradually add the remaining 100 ml water in two halves, mixing well after each addition. Increase speed to medium and knead for 2 more minutes until dough is very sticky, loose pancake batter-like, and stretchy with visible gluten ribbons.
4. First dough rest: Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. Prepare bran-flour mixture for trays: Grind 500 g wheat bran in a blender for 15 seconds and sift to remove large flakes. Mix the fine bran with 350 g flour. Spread this mixture in deep baking trays or sheets about 1-2 cm thick.
6. Portion the dough: Gently knock out most of the air from the dough. Wet your dominant hand and flour the other. Scoop a handful of dough with the wet hand, let it dangle, then slap it into your floured hand repeatedly until it forms a tight ball. Pinch off a portion about the size of a medium ball, coat it in flour by bouncing in your palm, and place unfloured side down on the bran-flour tray. Leave space between portions.
7. Second dough rest: Cover the trays with plastic wrap or another tray and rest the dough portions for 45 to 60 minutes in a warm place.
8. Preheat oven: Preheat home oven with pizza stone or steel to maximum temperature (around 250°C) for 1 hour, or preheat pizza oven to 350-400°C for 20 minutes.
9. Bake the bread: Dust a pizza peel with bran-flour mixture. Using fingers, gently lift a dough portion from the tray supporting it with all fingers, shake off excess bran, and transfer to the peel. Pat gently to shape into a circle. Shake peel to ensure dough slides freely. Bake in home oven for 4-5 minutes until lightly colored or in pizza oven for 90-120 seconds until lightly leoparded and browned. Rotate halfway if oven heats unevenly.
10. Cool and store: Cool baked bread on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Do not stack until fully cooled to prevent sogginess. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.