What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Dad's Kitchen - Traditions IV

This is a “bread” recipe that we most often ate hot out of the oven. I think that I made it one time for my kids. As with the Pfefferneuse cookies, I should no longer eat this “bread” as it violates my diet. I am not sure if I will make this again as it is addictive, especially with fresh, rich, creamy butter. I am drooling on my keyboard as I write this post. I am not sure if my daughter Kelli remembers eating this “bread,” so if you make some this holiday season, make sure that you share your production with Kelli and Neil Kelly for judging. But be advised, she may make her version.

I will call this one:“Katy Valentine’s Tantalizing Thin Bread”

I could not find an equivalent “bread” on the interweb. I don’t know whether this is an old German recipe or a modification of some other source. I loosely use the term “bread” as it is unlike any other bread that I heard of. We called it “thin bread,” so that is what it is—end of discussion. 

Mom made this between Thanksgiving and Christmas when I was growing up. Those of us at home would sit around the kitchen table facing the oven and grab what we could as she removed them from the oven. We ruined more than one dinner, filling ourselves up with thin bread. As always, remember that there were upwards of ten, always hungry kids, sitting around that table, and her recipes were scaled for 20 grubby hands. Divide the recipe, as necessary.

Katy Valentine’s Tantalizing Thin Bread

Mix:
2 quarts of buttermilk
1.5 cups sugar
2 cups oatmeal
After mixing, let stand for 30 minutes
Add ¼ cup melted butter
2 tsp baking soda dissolved in a little water
5 tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp anise seed (I almost always double the anise)
12 cups all-purpose flour (or more) adding a small amount at a time to avoid making the mess I invariably make on the counter and kitchen floor.

1. This makes a heavy bread dough. 
   Keep kneading it on parchment paper or a silicone baker’s sheet until it is no longer sticky. 
2. Place about 2 tablespoons of the dough onto parchment paper and then roll it extremely thin into a circle. 
3. Place the parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 5 minutes, watching closely. Do not burn the bread. It is done when there are browned areas on the bread and is somewhat crispy.
4. Remove it from the oven and continue the process until all the dough is baked.

I didn't care if the bread was crispy or slightly doughy as long as it was hot, and the butter was fresh.
Enjoy, but remember to share with Kelli and Neil Kelly.
 

 Kelli Kelly's Dad, Earl Valentine, and author of “Identity – Dream Maker."