World Flavors Cookbook

Egyptian Beer Bread (Bappir)

Twice-baked barley and wheat bread used as a brewing ingredient — the dense, fermented starter bread at the heart of ancient Egyptian beer-making.

Cuisine: Ancient World

Ingredients

• 500g barley flour
• 200g emmer wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 400ml warm water
• 2 tbsp honey or dates, mashed
• Natural fermentation (leave uncovered 2 days)

Instructions

1. Mix both flours with salt.
2. Add water and honey. Knead until sticky dough forms.
3. Cover loosely with cloth and leave 2 days at room temperature to develop wild yeast.
4. Shape into thick loaves.
5. Bake at 180C for 30 minutes. Let cool.
6. Bake again at 150C for 30 more minutes until very dry and hard.
7. These twice-baked bappir loaves were crumbled into water to start beer fermentation.