Simit
200 ml or 2/3 cups whole milk, warm
125 ml or 1/3 cup water, room temp.
tsp yeast
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 small egg
4 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 cup hot water
3 cups toasted sesame seeds (optional or you can add sunflower seeds, chia seeds, black nigella seeds, everything bagel mix)
Directions:
In a stand mixer or bowl, add milk, water, and yeast. Allow the yeast to activate for 3 minutes.
Then add the oil, sugar, salt, egg, and flour (one cup at a time) in the stand mixer or bowl and start mixing the ingredients together until they come together.
Start kneading the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes with the stand mixer for 10 minutes by hand until the dough is elastic. (Meaning you stretch a part of the dough and it stretches without breaking)
Cover the dough with a cloth and allow the dough to rest for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 16 smaller dough balls and start stretch each dough ball between your hands until its a long strand (refer to video below)
Start twisting 2 stands together and pinch the ends closed.
Allow the simit to rest for 20 minutes while covered.
In two small bowls, add the hot water and pomegranate molasses and mix well. Then add the toasted sesame in another bowl. (If you don’t have toasted sesame, then toast regular sesame on a frying pan)
Dip each simit in the molasses water then transfer it to the sesame seed and then transfer to a baking tray with parchment paper.
Bake the simit in the oven at 425 F for 6 minutes at the bottom rack then transfer for 5-8 minutes at the top rack or until golden in color. (Be careful not to leave the simit for too long so it doesn’t burn from the molasses)
Enjoy as a breakfast item with tea, cheese, eggs, hazelnut spread, vegetables, etc.
