Turkish Style Bagel "Açma": Plain or with Cheese & Olive Fillings

TÜRKÇE İÇİN TIKLAYIN 
PER ITALIANO
  

One of the things I miss the most from Turkey is Açma... I mean it WAS Açma in fact until I started baking my own with our precious Thermomix. 

They are soft bagels that you can find in every pastry shop in Turkey. This recipe offers equally delicious bagels like those from bakeries.

I prepared 3 types to publish in the blog. With cheese or olive filling and plain. With no doubt, our absolute favourite is the one with olive pate filling. As a matter of fact I bake olive and cheese kinds more often.

While preparing my olive filled bagels I use my own Olive Pate, which I prepare with our beloved Thermomix. I'd highly recommend it.

When I organize Turkish breakfasts or brunches, it is not quite likely to freshly prepare and serve Simit (sesame bread rings), açma, poğaça (cheese filled breakfast rolls)... etc altogether in one morning, considering also all leavening and cooking times. So, I prepare and bake acma bagels in advance and then store them in the freezer. It's perfectly possible to have nice and warm acma almost as if they are freshly coming out of bakery, just by reheating them for about 10 - 12 minutes in 180°C preheated oven.

Ingredients:

Dough:
240g water
20g fresh yeast
480g flour
45g extra virgin olive oil
10g sugar
1tsp salt

75g butter at room temperature (to use while rolling out)

Filling:
80-100g cheese, roughly chopped (such as kasseri, kashkaval, emmanthal, edam, swiss, asiago.. etc)
Black olive pate

Top:
Egg yolk
Sesame, poppy seeds
Grated cheese (one of above)


Preparation:

• Warm water for 1 minute at 37°C on Speed 1.

• Add fresh yeast and mix for 4 seconds on Speed 4.

• Sift in flour. Add oil, sugar and salt. Knead for 4 minutes.

•  Transfer it into a bowl. Cover with plastic film. Let it rise for 1 - 1,5 hour.

• Grate cheese for 6 seconds on Speed 10.

• Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball shape with your hands. Oil your hands every once in a while if needed. Distribute butter equally over the balls. Press and stretch dough outwards gently with your hands (around 15 - 20 cm diametre)

• For Plain Acma, simply roll 4 of them into a log shape, twist and then unite both ends giving it a bagel-like shape, seal tight. Transfer them into baking paper covered tray.

• For Cheese Acma, fill 4 of them with grated cheese, roll them into a log shape, twist and then unite both ends giving it a bagel-like shape, seal tight. Transfer them into baking paper covered tray.

• For Olive Acma, spread some olive pate over 4 of them, roll them into a log shape, twist and then unite both ends giving it a bagel-like shape, seal tight. Transfer them into baking paper covered tray.

• Cover with a tea towel and let them rise for about 45 - 60 minutes 

• Brush gently with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle Plain Açma with sesame, Cheese Açma with grated cheese and Olive Açma with poppy seeds.

• Bake them in preheated oven at 180°C for 20 - 25 minutes until browned.

Enjoy...