Kaak/ Kaak Alasreya/ Lebanese Street Bread

Kaak alasreya/ Kaak/ Lebanese Street Bread, a hand bag-shaped savory roll covered with sesame seeds - crispy on the outside and chewy a bit when eating. They are baked in an open flame oven and sold through cart vendors in Beirut – a street food and an ideal snack on the go that can be equally good for breakfast paired with a cup of tea.

If you ever visit Lebanon, don’t miss these insanely delicious treats and try to get them fresh and warm.   In Lebanon, no one bothers to make them at home as its easier to buy them ready, but living abroad, there is always a kind of food that we miss and crave, right? Have you ever had one of those a craving that hits you badly? Food has really a powerful role in our lives than you might imagine!

Brief! The first thing I did yesterday was calling my aunt Magida in Beirut to ask her if she or any of her friends has a good recipe for kaak.  After searching and seeking, she found a trusted recipe that turned out fantastic! While making kaak is hard to emulate at home, this recipe far exceeded my expectations and I am so happy with the result - though laborious a bit, and like most bread recipes, the process requires two stages of rising! The dough needs to rise until it doubles in size, and then after reshaping the kaak, the dough must rest for 20-25 minutes to pretty much guarantee success!

Serve it  with zaatar, spreadable cheese or with a cup of tea and labneh on the side! Just heavenly!!

The only trick is to bake the dough at a high temperature to have a crusty delicious bread.  The warmer the temperature, the more active the yeast will be and quicker the dough rises when baking.

 In a large ceramic bowl, mix the flour, salt, yeast and sugar.  Add the luke-warm water and combine all the ingredients with your hands. (You may need to add more water than the called for.  The amount of moisture in the flour determines how much you need to add). When the mixture starts coming together, knead it thoroughly and push your hands curving your fingers over the dough, getting a malleable dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside for 1 hour to double in size.

When the dough has doubled in size, sprinkle some flour on a counter top and divide the dough to nine equal portions.

Place one of the dough over the floured surface and stretch it with a rolling pin and roll it to a round circle about 20 cm/8 inches in diameter and about 1.5 cm ½ inch thick.

Using a 10 cm/4 inches round cookie cutter, cut a hole close to the upper edge. Brush the surface with some milk.

Generously sprinkle sesame seeds on top; gently infuse the sesame seeds, using the back of a spoon.  Let rise in a warm environment for about 20-25 minues.  Bake until the dough is puffed and golden in color. It takes about 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on your oven!

Ingredients:

• 1 kg / 2 lb. 4 oz. all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup/ 100 g. /3.5 oz. sugar
• 2 1/4 cups luke-warm water, or a bit more
• 1 cup white sesame seeds
• 11/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup milk, to brush the surface of the bread before baking

For the filling:

Zaatar

Directions:

1. First off, check the expiration date on the package of yeast.
2. In a large ceramic bowl, mix the flour, salt, yeast and sugar.  Add the luke-warm water and combine all the ingredients with your hands. (You may need to add more water than the called for.  The amount of moisture in the flour determines how much you need to add).
3. When the mixture starts coming together, knead it thoroughly and push your hands curving your fingers over the dough, getting a malleable dough.
4. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside for 1 hour to double in size.

To roll and bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 230 °C/ 450°F.
2. Place the rack in the lower third, just below center of the oven.
3. When the dough has doubled in size, sprinkle some flour on a counter top and divide the dough to nine equal portions.
4. Place one of the dough over the floured surface and stretch it with a rolling pin and roll it to a round circle about 20 cm/8 inches in diameter and about 1.5 cm ½ inch thick.
5. Using a 10 cm/4 inches round cookie cutter, cut a hole close to the upper edge.
6. Place the round dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet (you need to transfer it delicately to the sheet to maintain its form).
7. Brush the surface of the bread with some milk
8. Generously sprinkle sesame seeds on top; gently infuse the sesame seeds, using  the back of a spoon. Let rise in a warm environment for about 20-25 minues
9. Bake until the dough is puffed and golden in color. It takes about 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on your oven!
10. Remove from the oven and once cool enough to handle, create a small hole in the center of the kaaki and add some zaatar, or spread in it a spreadable cheese, or even serve it with a cup of tea and some labneh on the side!!  Repeat with the remaining dough! How delicious!

I would love to hear your feedback if you try the recipe!!

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