I saw a video on YouTube on how to make Turkish Bread. It caught my attention because of the “sauce” baked inside each loaf. The sauce is a mixture of water, flour and oil painted on the flattened circle of dough before it is rolled up.

The bread is soft, flavorful with a crisp crackling crust.

The published recipe instructed me to make 12 loaves, but after forming the first two I combined them to make six larger loaves (as pictured.) These are about 6” long .

Turkish Bread – Francala – Somum Ekmek

INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
• 10 g (1 Tbl) dry yeast
• 20 g (1 Tbl) sugar
• 100 ml milk
• 200 ml water
• 420 g (3.5c) bread flour
• 8 g (1 tsp) salt
• 20 ml (2 Tbl) oil
For the sauce:
• 20 g (1 Tbl) flour
• 10 ml (1 Tbl) oil
• 30 ml (3 Tbl) water

METHOD

1. Add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and mix into a shaggy mass
2. Knead in the bowl to a smooth sticky dough then cover and let ferment until it doubles in size
3. Add the flour, oil and water in a small bowl and mix until it is a smooth consistency
4. Deflate the dough on a lightly floured surface then form into a ball and divide it into 6 pieces
5. Shape each piece into a ball then use your fingers to pat the dough into a flat bumpy circle about 5” diameter turn over and repeat
6. Coat the dough with the sauce and fold it over pressing the seam as you go. Pinch the ends and seam together and roll out slightly to taper the ends
7. Place on a baking sheet, cover and let sit for an hour
8. After 30 minutes preheat the oven to 450ᵒF
9. Sprinkle flour on top then cut with a curve, lengthwise score with a lame
10. Add a cup of hot water to a container in the oven
11. Drop the temperature to 375ᵒF and bake for ~20-30 min? Check internal temperature after 20 min.
12. Should be finished baking when ~ 210-220ᵒF