Simit is a circular bread, encrusted with sesame seeds. Traditionally baked in large stone ovens, typically sold by roaming street vendors.
Every city in Turkey would have their own versions of it. This specific one is inspired after the Ankara variety (which is considered the best, [at least by me]).
The keys to a good simit are the following:
- High gluten content and firm dough
- Lots of sesame seeds, and pekmez* (the secret ingredient for the crust)
- Quite some good heat and thermal capacity (I used the baking steel)
The result is a crunchy, dense, savory delight of a bread. That took me back to my childhood.
*Pekmez is a syrup akin to molasses, which is obtained after reducing the juices of fruits (especially grape juice)
