Turkish Bread

5 from 3 votes

Indulge in the authentic flavors of Turkish Bread, a golden-brown loaf that's irresistibly soft inside and crusty on the outside. Topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and bursting with tantalizing aroma, this bread will instantly elevate any meal. Whether you're dipping it, stuffing it, or savoring it solo, this versatile loaf offers you a culinary journey to Turkey without leaving your kitchen.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Rising Time1

Total Time1 55

Course: Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: Turkish

Keyword: pide, turkish bread

Servings:

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

Starter

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
¾ cup warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour

Bread

1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Egg/Flour Wash

⅓ cup warm water
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg

Topping

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the yeast with the ¾ cup of warm water and mix well. Add the 1 cup of flour and stir everything together until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap and the mixture a bit. If the yeast was good, the mixture should have bubbled up and doubled in size. Stir in the other 1 cup of warm water, then add the 3 cups of flour and teaspoon of salt. Stir it well with a wooden spoon or spatula until there are no more lumps. Cover the bowl again with plastic wrap and let it rest for another 20 minutes.
Flour your work surface well, then turn the dough onto your work surface. Sprinkle additional flour over the dough. The dough will be sticky so use a bench scraper to turn the dough over about 6 or 8 times, then shape it into a ball.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and place a roasting pan with about 2 inches of water on the bottom rack. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into an oval or round shape until it's about ¾ inch thick. Place the flattened dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the egg/flour wash. In a small bowl whisk the flour with the warm water and egg.
Brush the egg wash over each piece of flat dough. Use your fingers to create dimples into each piece of dough as seen in pictures. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

Use warm water for the yeast to properly activate. The water should be around 110°F (43°C).
If you don't have sesame seeds, you can use other seeds like poppy or nigella for a different flavor profile.
The roasting pan with water in the oven helps create a steamy environment, crucial for a crispier crust.
You can double the recipe to make more loaves.

Nutrition