Instructions: * Barley cereal can be found in the baby-food section of supermarkets

Yields: 2 loaves, 12 servings each
Work Time: 20 minutes plus rising and cooling Total Time: 55 minutes, plus rising and cooling

1. In small bowl, stir sugar and yeast into 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.); let stand until yeast mixture foams, about 5 minutes.

2. In large bowl, combine barley cereal, cornmeal, salt, and 4 cups flour. With wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture and 2 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.) until combined. With floured hands, shape dough into a ball in bowl.

3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until doubled, about 1 hour.

4. Punch down dough and turn onto well-floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes, working in more flour (about 3/4 cup) as necessary while kneading.

5. Grease large cookie sheet. Cut dough in half and shape each half into a 6-inch round. Coat each round with flour; place on cookie sheet. Cover loaves with towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake loaves until golden brown, a total of about 35 minutes, using spray bottle to spritz loaves with water after first 5 minutes of baking, and again 10 minutes later. Cool on wire racks.

NOTES : This dense bread is called broa in Portugal. Our "secret" ingredient for its unusual flavor and texture: barley cereal for babies! The loaves are also sprayed with water during baking to help give them the characteristic crisp and chewy crust.

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