When the lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus went into effect, many people went into panic buying mode and bought up a variety of items, leaving some store shelves empty and also leaving many other shoppers frustrated that they couldn’t find the basic things they used to take for granted. Among the basic items you might have a hard time finding in supermarkets might be flour and yeast since many people, around the world, decided they would try baking their own bread rather than going out to their local bakery or supermarket to buy some.

Ordering flour and yeast online is a simple solution, but if you already have some flour on hand, and other types of leavening like baking powder and/or baking soda, you can still bake bread without the yeast. Called quick breads because there is no need to wait for the yeast to do its work, these types of breads are a great option if you decide to bake at the last minute or just don’t have the patience for yeast breads. 

For a special treat, try using Demetra Organics’ Zea Life-Giving flour, made from the ancient Greek grain. The results will impress you in terms of flavor and texture, and you might never go back to using the old, conventional all-purpose flour. The following recipe uses a mixture of hard (Triticum dicoccum) and soft (Triticum spelta) Zea flour for great flavor and balanced texture.

More information about Zea is available online: https://demetraorganics.com.

Zea Bread without Yeast

2 cups (255 grams) Zea, hard flour

2 cups (255 grams) Zea, soft flour

1/2 teaspoon Greek sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Greek honey

2 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 egg

1 2/3 cups fresh buttermilk or sour milk (recipe follows)

For variations:

1 tablespoon coriander seeds (optional)

1/2 cup olives of your choice, pitted and coarsely chopped (optional)

1 cup raisins and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To make your own buttermilk or sour milk, add 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice to 2 cups organic milk and set aside for at least 10 minutes until the milk curdles, stir before adding to recipe.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, olive oil, egg, and buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until the dough forms. Transfer to a large loaf pan or two loaf pans, and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool 10-15 minutes before removing the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations:

If preferred, stir in 1 tablespoon coriander seeds to the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients and continue as above.

For olive bread, add 1/2 cup olives of your choice, pitted and coarsely chopped, to the flour mixture before continuing the recipe as above.

To make raisin bread, add a 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 cup raisins to the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients and continue as above.