Simit

Simit (Turkish Sesame Ring Bread)

Turkey's iconic sesame-crusted ring bread, sold from red street carts across Istanbul. A chewy, golden loaf with a crackly crust of toasted sesame, traditionally dipped in grape molasses and baked until crisp outside and tender within.

Prep

90 min

Cook

18 min

Total

108 min

Serves

6 simit

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (4 cups + 2 tbsp) bread flour, high-protein, plus extra for dusting
• •10 g (2 tsp) instant yeast
• •8 g (1¾ tsp) fine sea salt
• •15 g (1 tbsp) granulated sugar, feeds the yeast
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water, around 38°C / 100°F
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil, sunflower or grapeseed
• •120 g (½ cup) grape molasses (pekmez), traditional; if unavailable, dissolve 60 g dark grape jelly in 60 ml warm water
• •200 g (1¼ cups) raw sesame seeds, untoasted, hulled or unhulled both work

Steps

1. 1 Whisk flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the warm water and oil and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out and knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic (windowpane stage). Cover and let rise 45-60 minutes, until nearly doubled.
2. 2 While the dough rises, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Transfer to a wide plate and let cool.
3. 3 Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal pieces (about 115 g each). Roll each piece into a long rope about 60 cm / 24 in long and as thick as your thumb.
4. 4 Twist two ropes together, then bring the ends together to form a ring, pinching the seam and ends to seal tightly so the ring holds its shape during dipping. Repeat with all six pairs (or shape each rope into a ring on its own for smaller simit).
5. 5 Loosely cover the rings and let rest 15-20 minutes so they relax and puff slightly.
6. 6 Pour the grape molasses (or diluted grape-jelly mixture) into a wide bowl. Dip each ring in, turning to coat all surfaces; let any excess drip off briefly.
7. 7 Press each dipped ring into the toasted sesame seeds, turning and patting so a thick, even layer adheres all the way around. Place on a parchment-lined tray.
8. 8 Preheat the oven to 230°C / 450°F with a baking stone or inverted heavy sheet inside. If you don't have a stone, an upturned rimmed tray preheated in the oven gives a good home-kitchen alternative (note: expect a slightly softer bottom crust).
9. 9 Slide the simit onto the hot surface and bake 14-18 minutes, until deeply golden and the sesame seeds are toasted brown. Internal temperature should read 95°C / 205°F for a fully set crumb. They should sound hollow when tapped.
10. 10 Cool 10 minutes on a rack so the crust crisps fully, then serve warm. Traditional accompaniments are sliced tomato, cucumber, white cheese (beyaz peynir) and Turkish tea.