Turkish Bread

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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.

Step 4

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.

Step 5

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.

Step 6

Meanwhile, make the egg/flour wash. In a small bowl whisk the flour with the warm water and egg.

Step 7

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.

Step 8

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.