Kubana Recipe

-In a mixer with the dough hook we're going to add the water yeast sugar and flour and mix for about 3 min until it roughly comes together, add the salt and knead for 5 min until you achieve a soft and supple dough

 

-Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let it rise in a warm place for about 1/2 hour in or until doubled in size 

 

-Bring the dough back to your oiled work surface and knock it back, you will get about a kilo of dough so divide your it into 5 equal pieces of about 200 grams and roll them into balls, cover the balls with a damp tea towel and set them to the side for 15 min to relax, we are not looking to proof them, just relax them so we can stretch them easily

 

-while they are relaxing, melt your butter completely and grease your pot making sure to get every inch (this will stop the kubana from sticking). 

 

-PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 375

 

-Now, on your oiled surface, take each ball and flatten and stretch it out with your hand into about a 12” diameter (no need to be precise here) this will be easy as the dough should be VERY soft and the oil will help with handling it so make sure to oil your hands a bit (a rolling pin can be used, but trust me that you won't need it)

 

-Butter the entire surface of the dough you just stretched, don't be shy (I like to use my hand, you can use a brush if you prefer but this food needs love and touch, so get in there with your hands).

 

-Now that our dough is buttered we’re going to do a Trifold (like a letter) making sure to butter each fold generously. Then using your hands, gently start rolling the folded dough just like you would when making cinnamon rolls.

 

-then place it in your pot, repeat for each piece of dough, all the dough pieces should fit snug in your pot in a ring, take your remaining butter (should be about 2 tbsp left) and pout it over the top of the kubana while in the pot.

 

-Now we’re going to let the kubana proof 30 minutes in the pot. You’re looking for the kubana to reach almost the top of the pot and for each piece of dough to kind of push into each other, this means its proofed and ready to bake

 

-Once our kubana is proofed, place your pot on a pan or cookie sheet so any butter drippings are caught throughout the baking process, then bake it at 375 for 25 minutes, then reduce the temp to 325 for another hour of baking, the lid on your pot will be pushed up by the kubana expanding, this is supposed to happen.

 

Traditionally this is served with Schug (spicy dip), fresh crushed tomatoes and a hard boiled egg.

Now if you choose to spread nutella on it, nobody is stopping you ;P Just think of this as any bread, just loaded with butter, Yum.