Persian bread is made with a classic leavened dough, but its uniqueness lies in its shape and finish. I made this bread following the recipe of chef Fulvio Marino, after watching the preparation during his show “Your Home Oven.” Aside from the fact that I have a soft spot for leavened goods, this bread immediately intrigued me, as it is brushed with a mix of beaten egg and kefir, as well as sprinkled with white and black sesame seeds.
I recently enjoyed kefir during my trip to Malta. It was served as a sauce to accompany vegetables, in that case, it was very creamy, almost like a fresh, spreadable cheese flavored with a bit of lemon. I loved it immediately! And so, I wanted to try this Persian bread, accompanying it with a kefir and garlic sauce… simply delicious!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 16 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 2 loaves
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Persian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup einkorn flour
- 1 2/3 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons kefir (plain)
- as needed sesame seeds
- as needed black sesame seeds
- 3/4 cup kefir
- 1 clove garlic
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
- as needed chopped parsley (or cilantro)
Steps
To prepare the dough for Persian bread, place the all-purpose flour, einkorn flour, yeast, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start the mixer and after a few moments add the salt. Knead everything until the dough is formed, meaning it detaches from the sides and bottom of the bowl, wraps around the hook, and appears shiny and firm. It will take about 20 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl, fold it a few times, form a ball, and return to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours.
After the resting time, remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into two equal pieces on a lightly floured surface.
Then take the first piece and, still on the lightly floured surface, fold the dough, slightly stretching it and bringing the outer edges towards the center, overlapping them. Roll the dough to form a sort of loaf and place it on an oiled baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil.
Proceed in the same way for the second piece of dough, using a second baking sheet to place it.
Let rise covered for about 4 hours, until they are visibly risen and have spread a bit.
At this point, preheat the oven to 482°F (static) and with oiled hands, gently stretch the dough from the center to the outside to form a disk about 10 inches in diameter.
Still with oiled hands, make a circle about 1 inch from the edge by pressing on the dough with the outer part of your hands or fingers. Then, still pressing with the outer part of your hands, or with your fingers, create a lattice pattern inside the border, creating 3-4 vertical lines and as many horizontal ones.
Break the egg in a small bowl and mix it with the kefir. Brush both loaves with the egg and kefir mix and generously sprinkle with sesame.
Bake one Persian bread at a time, at 482°F (static), for about 16 minutes, until it is beautifully golden on the surface and bottom.
Serve your Persian bread with a kefir dip that you will have prepared by mixing the kefir with minced garlic, and salt, pepper, and chopped parsley to taste.
