Title: Kouloura
Categories: Bread
Yield: 1 Loaf

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: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos

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