Turkish Bread

My newest bready love.  So easy and so delicious I can't find an excuse not to make it (except that I'm currently out of flour (HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN!??)).

Turkish Bread

Ingredients

230g plain white flour

200ml warm water

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dry active yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Topping (sesame seeds and nigella seeds are traditional)

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine your 200ml water, active dry yeast, salt, a dash of flour and sugar.  Whisk together and set aside for 20-30 minutes in a warm room.  This is called a yeast starter.  It will turn creamy and frothy.  This is your yeast multiplying.  This is good.

Measure out 230g plain white flour in a medium bowl.  Add the olive oil and the yeast starter.  This will make a very, very sticky dough.  Combine the ingredients and knead together with your bare hands or a wooden spoon.

Transfer to a container or bowl that has been sprayed or wiped down with oil.  Cover and set aside somewhere warm for 30 minutes to one hour or until your dough has risen.

Preheat your oven to 220C (210C for a fan-forced oven)

Flour a surface and empty your container out onto your countertop.  The dough will spread. From here you can make either one large loaf or two smaller loaves.  To make two smaller loaves, simply cut the dough in half using a sharp, clean knife.  

Get flour on your hands and lift your dough up, placing it on your floured baking sheet and pressing lightly into small, oval loaves (about 15mm thick).  Tap the surface with your fingertips along the length - this is what gives Turkish bread it's textured surface.  Set aside for 20 minutes in a warm area for a second rise.

Whisk together the egg and milk and brush onto the loaves with a pastry brush.  Sprinkle your topping onto the bread.  Sesame seeds and nigella seeds (the little black ones) are traditional but if you have a hard time finding nigella seeds (and I always do), you can use freshly ground cumin for a similar flavor.

Pop into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until your loaves are golden.  Cooking time will vary, so keep an eye on them.

Let cook COMPLETELY before cutting - remember that bread continues to cook until it is cool.  If you cut it too soon it will be dense and doughy inside.  The fluff comes once it's cooled.

Serve with some fantastic hummus - recipe to come.  Yumyumyum.