Simit - Sesame-Encrusted Turkish Bread Rings
by Özlem Warren, featured in Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen Published by Hardie GrantIntroduction
I adore simit and it really is the most quintessential Turkish snack. You can have simit for breakfast with a cup of çay (Turkish tea), sliced cucumber, tomatoes, beyaz peynir (our feta) and olives, or you can enjoy them for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Turks mostly prefer savoury accompaniments to simit, although I must say it is also lovely with some butter and jam. Simit has always been so widely available that no one really attempted to make it at home, especially while I was growing up. Moving abroad in my late twenties, I greatly missed simit and was delighted to come across dear Leanne Kitchen’s recipe in her beautiful book, Turkey: Recipes and Tales From the Road. I have adapted Leanne’s simit recipe and have been making simit successfully thanks to her for over 13 years. Each time it brings a huge dose of home and joy back to me. It really is easy to make once you get the hang of the shaping — a popular one at my cookery classes.
I adore simit and it really is the most quintessential Turkish snack. You can have simit for breakfast with a cup of çay (Turkish tea), sliced cucumber, tomatoes, beyaz peynir (our feta) and olives, or you can enjoy them for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Turks mostly prefer savoury accompaniments to simit, although I must say it is also lovely with some butter and jam. Simit has always been so widely available that no one really attempted to make it at home, especially while I was growing up. Moving abroad in my late twenties, I greatly missed simit and was delighted to come across dear Leanne Kitchen’s recipe in her beautiful book, Turkey: Recipes and Tales From the Road. I have adapted Leanne’s simit recipe and have been making simit successfully thanks to her for over 13 years. Each time it brings a huge dose of home and joy back to me. It really is easy to make once you get the hang of the shaping — a popular one at my cookery classes.
Ingredients
Makes: 8
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 60 millilitres lukewarm water (1st stage)
- 1 tablespoon dried yeast
- 310 millilitres lukewarm water (2nd stage)
- 500 grams plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- olive oil
FOR COATING
- 140 millilitres grape molasses
- 60 millilitres water
- 155 grams sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup lukewarm water (1st stage)
- 1 tablespoon dried yeast
- generous 1¼ cups lukewarm water (2nd stage)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- olive oil
FOR COATING
- generous ½ cup grape molasses
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup sesame seeds
Method
Simit - Sesame-Encrusted Turkish Bread Rings is a guest recipe by Özlem Warren so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe
- Combine the sugar and 1st stage quantity of lukewarm water in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the dried yeast, and mix well with a small spoon. Set aside for about 8 minutes, or until foamy.
- Next add the 2nd stage quantity of lukewarm water to the yeast mixture and combine well.
- Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir to form a rough dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes–1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/425°F/gas 7 and line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper. For coating, combine the grape molasses with the water in a large bowl and mix well. Place the sesame seeds on a large, flat plate. Knock back the dough on a lightly floured, clean work surface and divide it into 8 even-sized pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, use your hands to roll the dough out to a 60 cm (24 in) rope. Fold in half so the two ends align and twist into a twostranded rope. Join the ends together to make a circle, pressing firmly to seal and rolling the ends with your palm to make a neat ring shape. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 8 rings.
- Dip each ring into the grape molasses mixture, immersing completely to coat, then let any excess drip off into the bowl. Next, toss in the sesame seeds, turning gently to coat both sides. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and gently stretch to make neat rings. Set aside at room temperature for about 10 minutes until puffed slightly. Bake for 17–18 minutes, or until deep golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Combine the sugar and 1st stage quantity of lukewarm water in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the dried yeast, and mix well with a small spoon. Set aside for about 8 minutes, or until foamy.
- Next add the 2nd stage quantity of lukewarm water to the yeast mixture and combine well.
- Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir to form a rough dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes–1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/425°F/gas 7 and line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper. For coating, combine the grape molasses with the water in a large bowl and mix well. Place the sesame seeds on a large, flat plate. Knock back the dough on a lightly floured, clean work surface and divide it into 8 even-sized pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, use your hands to roll the dough out to a 60 cm (24 in) rope. Fold in half so the two ends align and twist into a twostranded rope. Join the ends together to make a circle, pressing firmly to seal and rolling the ends with your palm to make a neat ring shape. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 8 rings.
- Dip each ring into the grape molasses mixture, immersing completely to coat, then let any excess drip off into the bowl. Next, toss in the sesame seeds, turning gently to coat both sides. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and gently stretch to make neat rings. Set aside at room temperature for about 10 minutes until puffed slightly. Bake for 17–18 minutes, or until deep golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Additional Information
Serving suggestions: Enjoy simit with eggs, with meze, or as an all-day snack. It is delicious with Çılbır, as well as with Unscrambled Menemen, where you can gently reheat simit pieces in the pan, soaking up the flavours. Also try simit with butter and Kuru İncir Reçeli — it is divine.
Note: Grape molasses, üzüm pekmezi, is traditionally used in making simit. If you can’t get grape molasses, date, fig or carob molasses would work, too.
Serving suggestions: Enjoy simit with eggs, with meze, or as an all-day snack. It is delicious with Çılbır, as well as with Unscrambled Menemen, where you can gently reheat simit pieces in the pan, soaking up the flavours. Also try simit with butter and Kuru İncir Reçeli — it is divine.
Note: Grape molasses, üzüm pekmezi, is traditionally used in making simit. If you can’t get grape molasses, date, fig or carob molasses would work, too.
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What 1 Other has said
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Posted by SLloyd on 14th April 2024
Show more commentsI tried this today! Reminded me very much of a Greek 'koulouri'. Delicious eaten fresh. I will be making again and will leave to rise a little longer as it was a little denser than I would have liked. Will warm up the rest before eating in the week.