Koulouria Greek Sesame Galettes Recipes

KOULOURIA -- GREEK SESAME GALETTES

Steps:

• In a small container, stir the yeast into 1/2 cup of warm water, then whisk in 1/4 cup of flour to make the sponge. Leave it in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
• When sponge is ready, in a large mixing bowl whisk together the remaining flour & the salt, then make a well in the center.
• Into the well, add the sponge, along with 3-4 tablespoons water, the oil & sugar, gradually incorporating the flour into the other ingredients.
• Knead for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is smooth & elastic, then leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• When ready, punch the dough down & divide it into 8 pieces. Lightly flour a working surface AND hands & roll each piece into a sausage shape, then let rest 10-15 minutes.
• After that, roll the dough into a longer sausage shape ~ You will probably have to let the rolls rest once more in order to stretch them to the length they need to be, 20-25 inches long.
• During the 15 minutes that the dough is resting for the last time, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the sesame seeds in a large baking dish & have the egg whites ready in a wide, shallow bowl.
• Dip the long rolls into the egg white & then roll them in the sesame seeds. Twist 2 of them together & join the ends to form a ring about 4-5 inches in diameter. Shape the remaining rolls in the same way, then let them rise for about half an hour.
• About half way through this rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• When ready, bake the galettes for 15-20 minutes or until golden & slightly crisp on the outside. Let cool on a wire rack & serve at room temperature the same day OR freeze for later use. Simply reheat before serving any that have been frozen & then defrosted.

EASY GREEK BREAD RINGS WITH SESAME SEEDS (KOULOURIA)

Steps:

• Mix the flours and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a hook. Set aside. Pour the water into a larger glass measuring cup and stir in the yeast and the sugar, until the yeast is dissolved. Let the liquid rest for 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy.
• With the motor running, add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until it forms a soft, elastic dough. The dough should be easy to handle and it should pull away from the bottom and the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water; if it is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour. Grease the bowl with olive oil, place the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest for one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F Convection/Fan.
• To make the coating, fill a bowl with about 2 cups of room temperature water. Add the sugar and mix well to dissolve. Put the sesame seeds in a separate, shallow bowl.
• Brush some olive oil on to a clean work surface. Turn out the dough onto the surface, cut it into 10 pieces, and form smooth balls of uniform size.
• Roll each ball by hand in to a long roll (like a sausage). Bring the two edges together to form a circle. Try to make the 10 circles all the same size and shape so they bake evenly.
• 7. Dip each bread ring into the bowl with water and sugar, gently shake off the excess water, and dip the ring (on both sides) into the bowl with the sesame seeds. Place the coated ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and place on a rack. Brush gently with some melted butter while they are still hot and serve!