Sichuan Pepper Bread

A team AJ/Soupereasy Project selected because of our high regard for the flavor and aroma of Sichuan pepper.

We settled on a rating of good rather than fair for this recipe because both the flavor profile and the technique made us want to give this bread another try, but making some changes for next time.

The recipe suggests letting the dough sit for 15 minutes before working with it ... we suggest 30-60 minutes of rest before dividing the dough into 8 pieces and rolling it into thin circles. At 15-20 minutes the dough was really firm and hard to roll -- the longer we waited, the easier it became.

The recipe says to cover the rolled out dough circles with plastic but we found that the last two circles had dried to a point of being hard to work with by the time we got to them, so next time we will use a damp towel.

The thin rounds are then brushed with oil, sprinkled with toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns (1/8 tsp and next time we will use more), and topped with chopped scallions (2 T. per round which we thought was too much). The dough and fillings are then tightly rolled into a cylinder shape which is then twisted into a circle (like making a braided rug) and flattened.

The flattened circle is then rolled out again -- the authors recommend 1/4 in. thickness but next time we will go thinner -- to 1/8 or less. The dough is then placed in a hot skillet or cast iron pan very lightly coated with oil. It's done when both sides are flecked with brown spots. Next time, I'd like to try grilling these.

This was very tasty served warm with hummus. For me, it was not nearly as appealing at room temperature.