Turkish cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Trabzon Vakfıkebir Bread

Large round sourdough loaf from Trabzon with a thick, dark crust and a moist, coarse crumb.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 700 g flour
• 150 g sourdough starter
• 480 ml water (lukewarm)
• 18 g salt
• 3 g yeast (dry yeast)
• 2 tbsp cornmeal

Instructions

1. The evening before, feed the sourdough starter with 75 g each of flour and water and let it ripen overnight at room temperature until it bubbles and smells tangy.
2. Knead flour, water, the starter, salt, and yeast vigorously for 12 min. until the dough is glossy and can be stretched into a thin windowpane.
3. Cover and let rise for 90 min., folding it from all sides toward the center every 30 min. – this later gives the loaf its structure.
4. Shape the dough firmly on a lightly floured surface into a tall ball, place it seam-side up in a floured proofing basket, and let rise for 45 min.
5. Preheat the oven with a baking sheet to 250 °C (480 °F), tip the loaf onto the hot sheet dusted with cornmeal, score a 1 cm deep cross on top, and bake with a cup of water in the oven floor for steam.
6. Bake for 10 min. at 250 °C (480 °F), then 45 min. at 200 °C (390 °F), until the crust is deep dark brown and the loaf sounds hollow; let cool completely on a rack before slicing.