Simit is the most common and basic street food you can find in Turkey. People buy one for breakfast or whenever they are hungry. It is cheap and hearty. It is often enjoyed with some cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and olives accompanied with a cup of tea.
This recipe makes 10 bagels. It is possible to freeze them in a bag to eat later. Heat on a skillet, not in a microwave.
After setting aside the yeast mixture for 5 minutes the mixture should have risen and become white and foamy. If not; something must have gone wrong. Either the milk or water was too hot or too cold or the yeast might not be fresh. The result might not be as expected, so make a new yeast mixture, before going any further.
Take two walnut-sized pieces and make two long string pieces about 25 centimetres each. Combine one of the ends. Lift up on the joined part. Hold one of the other ends and twist the other around the one you are holding. Then combine the other ends to make a circle, making the simit shape.
You can caramelize the sugar in a skillet, adding water to make smooth. Use this as an alternative to the dipping if you do not have molasses.
You also need to dip to sesame. If you have allergies you can skip sesame.
Simit is one of treats that is most craved for when away from Turkey. Hope this recipe will help.
Turkish Sesame Bagels / Simit
Ingredients
Bagel
- 550+/- grams flour
- 200 millilitres water
- 150 millilitres milk
- 50 millilitres olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 25 grams fresh yeast or 10 grams instant yeast
Dipping
- 100 millilitres water
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Pour warm water and warm milk into a large mixing bowl. Also add the oil. The warmth should be 30° Celsius or you should be able to keep your pinky finger in the liquid barely for a count of 7.
- Add in the yeast. Mix well until the mixture becomes bubbly.
- Set aside for 5 minutes. When time is up, start adding the flour gradually.
- While adding the flour add also the salt, make sure the salt does not touch the yeast directly. Knead.
- Stop adding the flour once the dough turns into a ball and and is no longer sticky.
- Make 3-4 cuts on the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside for at least an hour.
- When time is up, divide first into half and then into 10, which will make about 20 walnut-sized pieces. Make two long thin string pieces about 25 centimetres each. Combine one of the ends. Lift up on the joined part. Hold one of the other ends and twist the other around the one you are holding. Then combine the other ends to make a circle, making the simit shape.
- Mix the molasses with the water. Dip the simit in this mixture.
- Then sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. To roast sesame seeds sauté in a skillet until the sesame seeds are brownish.
- Place each simit on an oven tray, without touching each other. Set aside for at least another hour.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180° Celsius until golden on all sides. Should take about 25 minutes.
- When out of the oven, cover and rest for 15 minutes.