Simit is a very popular street food in Turkiye, a little crunchy and a little chewy, the toasted sesame seeds are my favourite part.
My mom likes her simit on the sweeter side, so for her I add a little more sugar to the dough. She likes the bread stuffed with dates that are sold at Middle Eastern stores, they are very soft and are made with a sweet dough, whereas simit isn’t made with a sweet dough.
You may need to dilute your pekmez if it is too strong, just add in a little water. Pekmez is a grape molasses it can come in pomegranate, date, carob and cherry flavours as well, you can find them at your local Turkish, Middle Eastern or Mediterranean store. I use whatever I have, although pomegranate is sour so I don’t recommend using that.
When making simit, I suggest to make them in the morning or when ever you plan to eat them, and enjoy them as soon as they bake as they are soft and tender. They are not the greatest the next day, I guess you can say most homemade breads are like that.
Another recommendation is that you make 6 to 8 simits. I tried making more, the smaller ones dry out quickly, and are not as soft, the bigger simit turn out perfect.
**I tried making this with 3 full cups of flour, and they turn out good, the crust is crunchy and the inside soft but when I make it with less flour it turns out much softer, and I love soft bread. If you want a cruncher exterior make it with the 2 and 3/4 or 3 cups flour. But for a softer bread use 2 and 1/2 cups flour.
Serve them with feta cheese, olives and pekmez, such a lovely breakfast or brunch food with a glass of tea you almost feel like you are in Turkiye…almost.
What you will need:
- 2/3 cup warm milk
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 2 and 1/4 tsp yeast
- 3 tsp sugar for sweet dough, 1 tsp sugar for regular dough
- pinch of salt
- 2 and 3/4 cups flour or 1/2 if you want it even softer**
- olive oil
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup pekmez (dilute if needed)
- 1 cup sesame seeds
Warm the milk and water.
Pour the warm milk and water to the mixing bowl. Add in the yeast and sugar, allow for yeast to foam, takes a few minutes. Add in the flour and pinch of salt. Knead with dough hook if you are using your mixer.. Or you can make the dough with your hands, it is very simple to make. Drizzle olive oil so that it doesn’t get sticky.
Once dough is formed and is nice and smooth, allow to rest. Cover with cling wrap and a tea towel. After about an hour or so dough will double in size.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour pekmez in a bowl, and add sesame seeds in another bowl. Pull dough apart in 6 parts. Roll the dough (do not add flour to the surface), roll till it becomes a rope, then lift up both ends and twist. Close and attach ends, dip into the pekmez, then dip into the sesame seeds.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Bake for 13-18 minutes or until golden brown. I like to break one up and check if the bread is done baking. Enjoy!
Oh nice, I love how beautiful they look. I’m pretty sure they taste even better esp with those sesame seeds.