I had no idea you could make bread with just these ingredients!
Ingredients
What to grab (and what to leave on the shelf)
🌾 The Flour Secret
Self-rising flour (1 cup): White Lily only (not “all-purpose + baking powder”). Must be sifted twice (lumps = tunneling disaster).
Critical prep: Store in crock jar with bay leaf (not plastic—absorbs humidity). Wet flour = flatbread betrayal.
Why White Lily? Mama’s rule: “Soft wheat = mountain grace. Hard wheat = Northern regret.”
🥛 The Yogurt Trinity
Greek yogurt (1 cup): Fage 5% only (not “Greek-style”). Must be full-fat, room temp (cold = dense loaf).
Critical prep: Strain overnight in cheesecloth (not paper towel—absorbs tang). Watery yogurt = sunken middle.
Why strained? Mama’s rule: “Water is the thief. Tang is the soul.”
Pro tip: Buy flour on Tuesday. That’s when general stores restock—richest, most flavorful.
Step-by-Step: Mama Elara’s Kitchen Wisdom
Follow these like a ballad passed down through hollers
1. Mix with Reverence (The Heartbeat)
“Wet hands sink dreams.”
Sift flour into wooden bowl (not metal—reacts with baking powder).
Add yogurt → stir 8 strokes only (overmixing = tough bread).
Rest 5 mins (lets baking powder wake up). Mama’s rule: “Patience is the soul of the rise.”
2. Knead with Awe (The Soul)
“Dough should sigh, not scream.”
Dust counter with extra flour → knead 30 seconds (not 1 minute—gluten overworks).
Shape into ball → press thumb gently into top (creates pocket for steam).
Critical: Rest 10 mins (dough relaxes = no tearing). Never skip this!
3. Bake with Precision (The Grand Finale)
“A crack is a promise—no cracks is a sin.”
Heat oven to 200°C (test with hand—3-second hold = perfect temp).
Place dough on ungreased cast iron skillet (not baking sheet—heat distribution matters).
Bake 20-25 mins until golden-brown (not dark—bitter aftertaste).
Test: Hollow sound when tapped (not thud—underbaked).
Rest 15 mins on rack (steam = soggy crust; patience = crackly top).
4. Serve with Reverence (The Offering)
“Loaf must be warm, butter must be cold.”
Slice diagonally (not straight—more surface area for butter).
Serve with churned butter + wild blackberry jam (never store-bought—Mama’s rule: “Jam should fight back”).
Eat immediately—cold bread = broken spirit.
You Must Know
🔥 Yogurt must be strained—watery = sunken disaster
🌾 Flour must be sifted—lumps = tunneling disaster
🍞 Loaf must rest 15 mins—jumping = gummy texture
💡 My #1 pro tip: Add 1 tsp sorghum syrup to yogurt—Mama’s secret for “hollow depth”
“The winter I turned 10, I skipped the flour sift. Mama took one bite, set her knife down, and said, ‘Child, this loaf’s drowning. Go fix it.’ I’ve never rushed that step since.”
Serving & Storage
