This beautiful tribal bread is still made in the traditional manner during reservation ceremonies to honor a young woman, as well as for other special family occasions. I had heard stories from participants of how this ash bread was prepared and shared, and so I was pleased to find written directions by Carolyn Niethammer in her American Indian Food and Lore (Macmillan, 1974). Ash breads like this were standard fare for all the nomadic tribes, usually small three-inch round cakes, fashioned from a stiff dough and placed in a pit with hot embers, then covered with more ashes and hot coals. The cake is often as much as five feet across and eight inches thick. It is baked overnight while the family sings and dances. The first piece is cut from the center to be shared among the lead singers. Sprouted oat flour is sometimes used instead of panocha (sprouted wheat) flour. Today, most bakers pour the batter into a foil-lined and foil-topped baking pan and bake the cake slowly in a 200 degree oven until firm.

Makes 1 very large round bread
2 pounds fine-grind yellow or white 'ak'11n dich'7zhii, preferably stone-ground
1 cup panocha 'ak'11n
1 pound dark raisins
6 cups boiling t0
1 1/2 to 2 pounds fresh or dried d1'1t'22', soaked for 2 hours in water
'ak'11n dich'7zhii, for sprinkling

1. Dig a hole in the ground for the fire; it must be larger than the diameter of the cake and at least 6 inches deep. Build a wood fire in the depression and let it burn until it falls to ashes and embers.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, panocha flour, raisins, and boiling water, and stir to break up any lumps. Cool. Remove the embers and ashes to make a clean space for the bread. Line the pit with several overlapping and crisscrossed layers of wet corn husks. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the lined pit and sprinkle with cornmeal. (Native bakers bless the cake at this time by sprinkling prayer-meal from east to west, then south to north, then toward the sun). Cover with more wet corn husks and top with a thick layer of wet newspapers or cardboard. Cover completely with 3 inches of damp earth. Build another wood fire on top of the earth and keep it going for 8 hours.

3. Remove the layers of ashes, earth, newspaper, and corn husks; the cake will be solid. Remove the corn husks before placing in a basket and serve.

From:
Breads of the Southwest: Recipes in the Native American, Spanish, and Mexican Traditions, by Beth Hensperger. 1997: Chronicle Books: San Francisco, CA

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