Ingredients

• Four cups (500g) of all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp (10g) of salt
• 1 tsp (4g) of sugar
• 1 tbsp (12g) of instant yeast
• 25 cups (300ml) of warm water
• 25 cup (60ml) of olive oil
• 5 cup (120ml) grape molasses diluted with 0.5 cup (120ml) of water
• 5 cups (250g) of sesame seeds.
• “Istanbul Simit’s” Ingredients: 1kg all-purpose flour, 500ml water, 20g fresh yeast, 25g butter, 30g sugar, 20g salt, 120ml molasses diluted with 120ml water and 250g sesame seeds.
• 1 cup of sugar and 1.5 cup of water

Preparation and Cooking

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Mix well, and gradually add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. Note that dough of simit will be denser than other dough products. Therefore, the mixing should be done by manually or by a commercial size dough mixer as the home mixers may fail. If dough mixer is used, mix for 3 min at slow speed and add the yeast and mix 7 min more at higher speed.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
• After the dough has risen, gently deflate it and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 40 cm long. Fold each rope in half and twist the two strands together, then join the ends to form a circle. Press the ends firmly to seal.
• In a shallow dish, mix together the molasses and water. In another shallow dish, place the sesame seeds.
• Dip each shaped dough circle into the molasses-water mixture, making sure it’s fully coated. Then, dip it into the sesame seeds, pressing gently to ensure they stick.
• Place the coated dough circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing enough space between them for rising. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let them rise for about 30 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
• As the wood fired oven temperature is around 200-220^oC, bake the simit for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crusty. Note that it may be necessary to rotate the simits halfway through for even browning.
• Remove the simit from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
• Simits can be served as fresh or stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days or can be frozen in a freezer for longer period to reheat before serving.

Hints and Comments

Simit, also known as the Turkish bagel, is a circular bread encrusted with sesame seeds. It is a highly popular breakfast and street food in Turkiye and has a delicious and slightly chewy texture.