Hello November!!

This recipe is adapted from my cookbook- A Drop of Ladi & My Greek Soul 

(Sesame Bread Rings) – Κουλούρι Θεσσαλονίκης

Recipe from my second cookbook “A Drop of Ladi & My Greek Soul”
Thessaloniki is very well known for this delightful snack. The “koulouri” (plural: koulouria) is bread shaped into rings with toasted sesame seeds. You can make it sweet or savory using sesame, anise, or caraway seeds. It is easily paired with Greek dips like tzatziki, or spicy feta dip but you can also enjoy it plain or toastaki style! Trust me, you won’t be able to have just one!

Servings: 10 bread rings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons of molasses
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 2 cups warm water for the dipping of the koulouri
• 2 tablespoons of molasses + few tablespoons of warm water
• 2 ½ cups sesame seeds

Method:

1. Prepare the yeast: In a small bowl add the warm water and molasses. Mix to combine and then add the active dry yeast and stir with a wooden spoon. Set aside until the mixture gets foamy and bubbly (for about 10 minutes).
2. Mix the pumpkin puree into the yeast mixture.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the flours and salt and slowly add the yeast mixture. Mix for about 6 minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic. If your dough is too wet, add some more flour.
4. Lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough inside and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Prepare the coating for the koulouri. In a deep plate, dissolve the molasses into the warm water and mix to combine. Place the sesame seeds inside a deep pan.
6. Lightly grease your kitchen counter with oil and prepare to cut the dough into 10 balls. Roll pieces into long sausage-like strings. Take both ends of dough and connect together forming a ring. Dip each ring into the water, and then gently roll each into the sesame seeds.
7. Preheat oven at 400° F. Place koulouri onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and slightly greased. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy.  **I like my koulouria crunchy so I always bake them longer.

Tips:

• You can roll your koulouri rings in any seed mixture but I love sesame!
• You can add cheese or olives to the dough. In this case today I added my favorite Greek olives, Kalamata.