Middle Eastern Sesame Bread

It may look like a giant bagel but this is a traditional Middle Eastern bread often served with tagine or mezze. Like many yeast based breads it is best eaten the same day, preferably when still warm.

Mama's Fadila's bread

adapted from Blad magazine

• 250g all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 250g fine semolina
• 7g dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
• 1 small egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• half teaspoon of salt 
• 250 ml warm water

Mix flour and semolina in a big, deep bowl.
Sprinkle oil over the flour, add salt from one side and yeast from another*.
Add water and knead about 20 minutes, until the dough is smooth, flexible and soft.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel or loosely with cling foil and leave it in a warm place for about 1,5 hours.

When it doubles its size form with flour dusted hands a round bread 3 cm flat.
Leave it to rise for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C

With your finger make a little hole in the middle of the bread (it will release the steam while baking), then with fork prick a few holes around. Brush the bread with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

* Salt retards yeast growth

Dough before and after rising.