Levantine cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Kaak Asrouniyeh

Handbag-shaped sesame bread with a crisp crust, eaten warm filled with zaatar or cheese.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g flour
• 1 packet dry yeast (7 g)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 280 ml lukewarm milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp zaatar spice blend
• 200 g Akkawi cheese (or block mozzarella as a substitute)
• 1 tbsp molasses syrup (for brushing)

Instructions

1. Mix flour, dry yeast, sugar and salt, add the lukewarm milk with 2 tbsp olive oil and knead for 10 min. into a soft, elastic dough; let rise covered for 60 min.
2. Divide the dough into four portions and roll each into an oval about 25 cm long, clearly wider at one end than the other.
3. Punch a round hole in the narrow end with a cutter and stretch it with your fingers into a ring about 6 cm wide – this forms the characteristic bag handle.
4. Mix the molasses syrup with 2 tbsp water, brush it over the dough pieces, coat them thickly with sesame seeds and let rest again for 20 min.
5. Bake in an oven preheated to 220 °C for 12–15 min. until the crust is golden brown and the sesame is nicely toasted.
6. Slice the still-hot breads open at the side, fill with grated cheese or with zaatar and the remaining olive oil, and serve immediately.