Turkish Ramadan Pidesi Bread

Ingredients list for Turkish Ramadan Pidesi Bread

• Bread
• + 1 tbsp + for dusting Refined flour (maia) , 2 1/2 cups
• 3 teaspoons Instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons Castor sugar
• 2 tbsps + for greasing Olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
• to sprinkle Semolina (rawa / suji)
• Egg wash
• 1 Egg yolk
• 3-4 teaspoons Yogurt
• a pinch Salt
• 3 teaspoons Extra virgin olive oil
• Sprinkling
• as required White sesame seeds
• as required Onion seeds (kalonji)

Method

1. To make the bread, put refined flour in an electric mixing bowl attached with a hook attachment. Add instant dry yeast, castor sugar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and 1¼ cups warm water and process for 8-10 minutes or till a soft dough is formed.
2. Dust the worktop with some refined flour, place the dough on it, drizzle remaining oil over it, and knead again and shape it into a ball.
3. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to prove for 40-45 minutes or till the dough doubles in size.
4. Knock back the dough and lightly knead it again. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Dust the worktop with some refined flour, place each dough ball and roll into a disc with medium thickness.
5. Dust a baking tray with some semolina and place each disc on it.
6. Mix together 1 tbsp refined flour with 2 tbsps water in a small bowl. Dip your fingers in it. Leaving ½ inch space from the edges of the disc, press with your fingertips in a circular motion while to make an inner circle. Dip your fingers into the flour mixture and make diagonal lines in opposite directions to make diamond shapes inside the inner circle. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to prove for 20-25 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 200º C.
8. To make the egg wash, take egg yolk in another small bowl. Add yogurt, salt and extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
9. Brush the egg wash over each disc and sprinkle white sesame seeds and onion seeds. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. Bring the breads out of the oven and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Serve.