I adore kaak in all its shapes and forms; they are really hard to beat. Readers loved the kaak al asrieh I published, as well as Lebanese sweet kaak and kaak bhaleeh. This time, I turned to a regional kaak recipe, “Kaleeta/Lebanese Flat Kaak,” from Northern Lebanon, specifically the city of Tripoli, even though nowadays you can virtually find kaak all over the country.

Kaleeta/North Lebanese Flat Kaak

Kaleeta/North Lebanese Flat Kaak are a popular choice for breakfast. Duck into communal neighborhood ovens in Tripoli, Lebanon, and you’ll likely spot these rounded sesame loaves everywhere. Sometimes, you can also pick them up at roadside stands. They have a slightly crisp exterior and are usually thicker than pita bread. They are a favorite treat when layered with cheese and grilled on a griddle or in a panini press, giving the plump flatbreads a deliciously toasted crust and a steaming, melted-cheese interior—a belly-filling breakfast or snack that is a nourishing part of daily life.

While baking “Kaleeta Kaak/North Lebanese Flat Kaak” (كعك القليطه) might look like a project, they are easier than you think, and they are fun and truly rewarding. You can make your own kaak in your own regular kitchen, and even if you’re a beginner, the results are amazing!

What Is the Best Flour for Making North Lebanese Flat Kaak?

Best type of flour: 00 flour is the best choice for kaak because of its high protein content. It helps the dough maintain its structure during the long leavening time. All-purpose flour would be a second choice!

Start making the dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, mahlab, powdered milk and oil. Add the lukewarm water and mix well. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and uniform. Slam it against the countertop a couple of times before covering it with cling film. This will help strengthen the gluten, resulting in a very light and fluffy dough. Set aside for one hour, or until it doubles in size.

Cold Fermentation for Kaak Dough: Why It Matters

When it comes to making kaak, there’s a key method that is absolutely essential to success. Guess what? A cold fermentation! Yes, it is best for producing a flavorful kaak dough. It takes longer, but the dough develops better flavor and texture over time. The dough needs to rise in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

Cold fermentation is a method of slowing down the dough’s rise. The longer the fermentation, the more intense the flavor of the kaak. The ideal fermentation window is 24 to 48 hours. Before shaping and baking, the dough will need to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, so place it in the fridge for 24–48 hours.

How to Stick Sesame Seeds on Kaak: The Honey-Water Glaze

Sticking sesame seeds to the kaak isn’t as easy as simply sprinkling them on top, so you’ll need to prepare a thin glaze of water and honey to help them stick. Later, you’ll drain the liquid and use the sesame seeds. Adding honey to the glaze helps the sesame seeds adhere to the kaak, while also giving them a slightly golden color.

In a bowl, combine the sesame seeds, water, and honey. Let them soak for about 40 minutes, then drain.

Lightly dust your countertop with flour. Take one piece of dough and, using your fingertips, gently push it out from all sides, flattening it to a thickness of ½ inch (1.3 cm) (there’s no need to use a rolling pin).

Spread the drained sesame seeds on a baking sheet, then dip the flattened dough into the sesame seeds, making sure both sides are well coated. Using your fingers, press four holes into the center of the flattened dough (watch the video tutorial).

Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover with kitchen towels and leave to ferment for another hour.

What is the Best Oven Temperature for Baking Lebanese Kaak?

Authentic kaak should be baked in a blazing-hot wood-fired oven. In other words, kaak needs to be baked at a high temperature to create steam inside the dough, helping it puff up. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have a wood-fired oven, so the best alternative is a baking steel. If you don’t have one, then follow this method: preheat a baking sheet in the oven for about half an hour before baking, so it’s screaming hot by the time you gently transfer the dough onto it.

That ultra-hot environment is what gives you the kind of crust you would expect from a bakery. Carefully transfer the kaak to the heated baking steel or baking sheet. You may need to bake them in batches. Bake for about 8–9 minutes, or until golden.

To achieve that authentic bakery crust, Lebanese flat kaak must be baked at a high temperature of 482°F (250°C) on a preheated baking steel or pizza stone for at least 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving or stuffing them with cheese—or whatever your heart desires!

How to Store and Reheat Lebanese Flat Kaak

Kaleeta/North Lebanese Flat Kaak are best enjoyed on the day they are baked, when the crust is at its freshest. However, you can store any leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

How to freeze kaak: To keep them for longer, wrap the kaak tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

How to reheat kaak: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and warm the kaak for 6–8 minutes, or until heated through.

If the kaak have been frozen, unwrap them and let them thaw before reheating. This helps restore their texture and makes them deliciously warm and ready to enjoy!

More Lebanese Kaak Recipes to Try

• Kaak (Kaak Al Asreya), Lebanese Street Bread 
• Kaak Al Abbas
• Lebanese Sweet Kaak
• Kaak Bil Haleeb
• Carob Molasses Kaak
• Date Ring Kaak/ Kaak al Asawer

Let’s Stay in Touch!

Kaleeta/ North Lebanese Flat Kaak

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Prep: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 9 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 39 minutes minutes

Servings 10 pieces

Course

Breakfast

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Snack

Cuisine

#Middle Eastern

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Lebanese

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Mediterranean

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Description

“Kaleeta/North Lebanese Flat Kaak” is ideal in so many ways! Serve it plain, as a cheese sandwich, or stuffed with labneh, foul, fried eggs, and so much more—you name it! Just a little warning before we get started: making good kaak takes time.

Equipment

• pizza stone or steel

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 kg 2 lb 4 oz 00 flour or all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 2¼ cups lukewarm water or a little more if needed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
• ▢ 2 tablespoons powdered milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mahlab optional, but recommended

For the Sesame Glaze

• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 1½ cups sesame seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
• ▢ For the Filling Optional
• ▢ 1 kg 2 lb 4 oz Akkawi (Akawi) cheese

Instructions

 

• Start Making the Dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, powdered milk, mahlab, and oil. Add the lukewarm water and mix well.
• Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and uniform. Slam it against the countertop a couple of times before covering it with cling film. This will help strengthen the gluten, resulting in a very light and fluffy dough. Set aside for one hour, or until it doubles in size.
  
• Place the dough in the fridge for 24–48 hours. About 1 hour before baking, take the cold-fermented dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
• Sprinkle some flour on your countertop and knock back the dough. Divide it into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
  
• In a bowl, combine the sesame seeds, water, and honey. Let them soak for about 40 minutes, then drain.
  
• Meanwhile, place your pizza stone or baking steel in the oven and preheat to 250°C (482°F) for at least 40 minutes. If you don’t have a baking steel or pizza stone, you can use a baking sheet instead. Preheat it in the oven for about 30 minutes before baking, so it’s screaming hot by the time you gently transfer the dough onto it. That ultra-hot environment is what gives you the kind of crust you would expect from a bakery.
• Lightly dust your countertop with flour. Take one piece of dough and, using your fingertips, gently push it out from all sides, flattening it to a thickness of ½ inch (1.3 cm). There’s no need to use a rolling pin.
• Spread the drained sesame seeds on a baking sheet, then dip the flattened dough into the sesame seeds, making sure both sides are well coated. Using your fingers, press four holes into the center of the flattened dough (watch the video tutorial). Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover with kitchen towels and leave to ferment for another hour.
  
• Carefully transfer the kaak to the heated baking steel or baking sheet. You may need to bake them in batches. If you don’t have a baking steel, you can use a baking sheet instead. Preheat it in the oven for about 30 minutes before baking, so it’s screaming hot by the time you gently transfer the dough onto it. That ultra-hot environment is what gives you the kind of crust you would expect from a bakery.
• Bake for about 8–9 minutes, or until golden, but keep an eye on them, as ovens can vary.
  
• Remove the kaak from the oven and let them cool a bit before stuffing them with cheese or whatever your heart desires. The most common way to enjoy them is stuffed with desalted Akkawi cheese. Using a sharp knife, cut the kaak diagonally and add the desalted cheese (you can use mozzarella as a substitute).

  When you’re ready to serve, heat your panini press, place the kaak inside, brush with butter, and press until the cheese melts. Serve with a cup of tea. Sublime!
  

Video

Notes

To desalt Akkawi cheese, cut it into medium-sized pieces, cover with water, and soak for 8 hours, changing the water every hour to reduce its saltiness. Drain well and use as directed.

 

Keyword Cheese, cheese kaak

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