Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet set over high heat. Add the onions, reduce the heat to low and, stirring occasionally, cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not brown. Transfer them to a bowl and cool to room temperature.

Melt the remaining butter in the skillet and pour it into a large bowl. Add the lukewarm (110 - 115 F) water and, with a large spoon, stir in the chopped onions, salt and 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time. If necessary, beat in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of the flour as you need to make a dough that does not stick to your fingers. Gather the dough into a large, compact ball and divide it into 16 pieces. With the palms of your hands, shape each piece of dough into a 1 1/2 to 2 inch ball. Then, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the balls one at a time into circles that are about 8 inches in diameter. Set the rounds of dough aside.

Set a heavy 10- to 12-inch ungreased pan over high heat. When it is hot enough for a drop of water flicked across its surface to instantly evaporate, place one round of dough in the center. Brown for 3 or 4 minutes on each side, turning it over with your fingers or a wide spatula; do not be concerned if the bread does not brown evenly.

Transfer the bread to a rack to dry and proceed to fry and dry the remaining dough similarly. Serve the bread in a basket or other porous container. If for any reason the bread becomes limp after a day or so, place the rounds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them for 5 to 10 minutes in a preheated 250F oven until they freshen.