Village-Style Halloumi Bread

• • --- 450g strong village flour
• • --- 50g whole wheat flour
• • --- 100g sourdough starter or 1 sachet (11g) dry yeast
• • --- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon mastic
• • --- 1 teaspoon (10g) salt
• • --- 2 tablespoons (25ml) olive oil
• • --- 330ml water
• • --- 1-2 halloumi cheeses (1 cut into pieces and a little grated)
• • --- 1 bunch fresh mint, well washed, dried, and separated into leaves
• • --- Sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

For kneading with the halloumi

• • --- a little extra olive oil

1. 1. In a bowl, add the two types of flour, yeast, mastic, and salt, and mix. Then, add the olive oil and rub it into the flour with your palms until coarse crumbs form.
2. 2. Push the flour aside to create a well in the middle, where you will add the water and sourdough starter, if using. Gradually incorporate the flour and knead until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. If it's still sticky, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue kneading.
3. 3. Cover and let the dough almost double in size. Once doubled, add the halloumi pieces, a little grated halloumi, the mint, and a little olive oil, then knead.
4. 4. Form one large or two smaller halloumi breads and place them on a baking tray lined with non-stick parchment paper.
5. 5. Let them double in size again and then bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius with a tray of water underneath for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for another approximately 30 minutes.