Simit
Simit has a documented history stretching back to the early 16th century in Istanbul, where Ottoman palace records mention fixed prices for «simit», a sign of its importance as a state-regulated staple food. Its ring shape, easy to carry on a wooden rod or in a basket, made it ideal for street vendors circulating through the city from dawn. Today simit sellers, with their red metal trays, remain a familiar sight on every Turkish street corner, selling freshly baked rings alongside hot tea. Though the basic recipe has stayed largely unchanged for centuries, simit remains Turkey's most popular street snack, eaten at any hour of the day.
Twisted ring shape
The dough is rolled into long ropes and twisted in pairs before being joined into a ring.
Dipped in grape molasses before sesame
Each ring is dunked in diluted pekmez, a grape molasses syrup, which helps the sesame stick and adds a subtle sweetness.
Thickly coated in toasted sesame
The rings are rolled generously in sesame seeds, which turn golden and crisp as they bake.
Crunchy outside, chewy inside
The crisp sesame crust contrasts with the soft, chewy bread underneath.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500g flour
- 10g dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 300ml warm water
- 2 tbsp oil
- 100g sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp pekmez (grape molasses)
- 150ml water for dipping
- 1 tsp sugar
How to make it
- 1Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let it foam for a few minutes.
- 2Mix the flour, salt and oil with the yeast water, kneading until you get a smooth, elastic dough.
- 3Let the dough rise covered for an hour, until it doubles in size.
- 4Divide the dough into equal pieces, roll each into two long ropes and twist them together, joining the ends into a ring.
- 5Mix the pekmez with water in a shallow dish and dip each ring, then roll it thickly through sesame seeds on a separate tray.
- 6Place the rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them rise for another twenty minutes.
- 7Bake at 220°C for fifteen to twenty minutes, until well browned.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
