Caramelized Onion Bread

• Ready In: 3 hrs 16 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• Sponge

• 1  cup  lukewarm water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1  cup bread flour

• Caramelized Onions

• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  firmly packed brown sugar
• 2  onions, sliced into 1/4 inch rings

• Dough

• 1  cup  lukewarm water
• 1  teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 1⁄4 cups bread flour
• 1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. To prepare the sponge, place the water in a mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, stir in and let sit for 2 minutes.
3. Mix in the 1 cup bread flour.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit overnight or for 14-16 hours.
5. To prepare the onions, heat the olive oil and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute.
6. Add the onions, stir well, and saute, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until browned and caramelized.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
8. To prepare the dough, place the water in the bowl of an electric mixer or in a mixing bowl.
9. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, stir in, and let sit for 2 minutes.
10. Add the sponge, bread flour, whole-wheat flour, salt and pepper.
11. Mix with the dough hook for 2 minutes, or until the ingrediets are combine.
12. Or beat vigoursly with a wooden spoon for 8-10 minutes.
13. Let the dough rest for 15 mintes.
14. Add the caramelized onions and resume mixing, continuing for 12-14 minutes or until the dough is silky and elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
15. The dough should be very wet and sticky, but still elastic.
16. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
17. Let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
18. Turn over a baking sheet and set a piece of parchment paper on it.
19. Place the dough on a well-floured work surface, handling it gently to preserve as much volume as possible and cut into 2 equal pices.
20. Gently pull and stretch each piece of dough into a flat round, about 1 1/4 inches thick.
21. Transfer to the parchment paper.
22. You may have to reshape once you have moved it.
23. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
24. To avoid the plastic from sticking to the dough, spray the dough with some cooking spray.
25. Place a baking stone on the middle rack in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
26. Using a spray bottle, spritz the oven walls with water.
27. Work quickly so the oven does not lose heat.
28. You could also quickly place several ice cubes in the bottom of the oven after you have placed the loaves in the oven.
29. Slide the loaves, still on the parchment paper, into the oven onto the hot stone.
30. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the bread brown.
31. Transfer the flatbreads to a rack to cool.
32. Note: I could only bake one loaf at a time.
33. Next time I will forget about turning the dough onto a floured board.
34. I'll gently dump half of the dough onto each piece of parchment paper and shape it there.