🍞 Turkish Bread (Ekmek)
Turkish bread, commonly called ekmek, is a soft, slightly chewy, round or oval white bread with a crisp crust. It’s a staple in Turkish cuisine, often used for sandwiches, breakfast, or to accompany meals.
📝 Traditional Turkish Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 packet (2¼ tsp / 7 g) active dry yeast
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1½ cups warm water (110°F / 45°C)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Optional: sesame seeds or nigella seeds for topping
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Activate yeast
Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until frothy.
2️⃣ Make dough
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
3️⃣ Knead
Turn dough onto floured surface and knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4️⃣ First rise
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 1–1½ hours until doubled.
5️⃣ Shape bread
Punch down dough, shape into a round or oval loaf. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
6️⃣ Second rise
Cover and let rise 30–40 minutes until slightly puffy.
7️⃣ Prep for baking
Brush top with water or egg wash. Sprinkle seeds if desired. Make shallow diagonal slashes on top.
8️⃣ Bake
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
9️⃣ Cool
Let cool on a wire rack before slicing.
🔥 Tips
- For a chewier bread, use bread flour.
- Steam the oven with a pan of water to get a crisp crust.
- Can be frozen after baking; refresh in the oven before serving.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- Sandwiches (like Turkish döner or köfte sandwiches)
- Breakfast with cheese, olives, and tomatoes
- Dipping in olive oil or soups
- With traditional Turkish stews (like İmam bayıldı or Kuru fasulye)
If you want, I can also give a quick no-yeast Turkish flatbread version or a stone-oven-style chewy loaf recipe.
