Bible Q&A
I have heard some discussion of how unleavened is made and from wheat. Can you comment on this.
Thanks for the question.
I am supposing that you mean unleavened bread.
Leaven is from the Latin: levamen and fermentum. Webster says it means alleviation, mitigation or solace taken in the sense of a raising. That which raises from the French levare: to raise. (consider the word lever)
1. A substance that produces fermentation as in dough or liquids, yeast; barm.
2. A substance used to produce or introduce a gas that lightens dough or batter while baking, as sour milk and soda; baking powder, baking soda or beaten egg, and of course yeast.Yeast is a culture of certain live, microscopic, saccharomycetaceae fungi organisms that when put in dough, feed on the sugar converted from the starch of the flour by enzymes, and give off carbon dioxide gas that forms bubbles to puff up the bread. The bubbles are held together by the stretchy gluten in the flour. A small lump of this dough is saved from every baking to introduce into the next batch of dough.
When bread is unleavened, this yeast is not introduced into the dough.
My wife has a recipe for unleavened bread.
1-1/2 cups flour
6 tablespoons shortening
Cut these together until well blended
Add 6 tablespoons milk or water
Stir until mixture holds together
Knead slightly on floured board
Roll out, prick with fork
Bake 10-12 minutes at 400 degreesWe discussed Salt and agreed that it is not a leavening agent.
God required that salt be included in all offerings in the OT. Lev.2:13
Salt also deters the growth of yeast, so in leavened breads must be used sparingly.Hope this helps.
Larry White
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