Diethood » Recipes » Breakfast » Sesame Bagels {Gevrek}

Sesame Bagels {Gevrek}

Sesame Bagels – Gevrek, similar to a bagel, or even a soft pretzel, is a chewy, yet soft bread-snack, shaped into a ring, dipped in honey and water, topped with sesame seeds and baked.

Sesame Bagels - Gevrek | www.diethood.com

Hey! Happy Monday!

Now, now… Friday will be here soon. Let’s enjoy the week, and start it with a Gevrek! I should probably teach you how to pronounce that. Okay… hmmmm… let’s try gjev-wreck. I think.

I run, what one might call, an eclectic kitchen. Multi-ethnic, if you will.

I serve Asian one day and show up with some Cashew Chicken Meatballs, then Italian the next with some Baked Eggplant Penne Pasta, and other times I serve my own, Macedonian.

Now, before I go to claim Gevrek as solely Macedonian, allow me to tell you that it is not. It belongs to everyone on the Balkans, and beyond, but as far as I know, they belong mostly to the Turks. It’s their thing, but we all have our different spin on it.

Gevrek - Soft Pretzel | www.diethood.com | #softpretzelrecipe #gevrek #bread

The difference in a Macedonian Gevrek (Bagel) is that, unlike the others, we don’t dip it in molasses; we use honey. Also, our Gevrek is more like a soft pretzel. It’s soft, and nowhere near as dense as the Turkish one, which might even be mistaken for a bagel. To add, Turks like to enjoy their Gevrek, or Simit, with jam and tea. Macedonians, on the other hand, reach for some plain yogurt and dip it, just as you would dip a soft pretzel in cheese.

This little treat takes a bit of time to make. And it wants love. You can’t rush it. You need to love it, respect it, and take your time with it. I have made these on multiple occasions, and I’m still learning. I know, it’s in the technique. I get it.

Gevrek - Soft Pretzel | www.diethood.com | #softpretzelrecipe #gevrek #bread

I like our little bloggy system here, don’t you? I get to cook for you, teach you a thing or two about different cuisines, take photos of it, and you get to read and drool! I really hope I’ve made you drool at least once during your stay(s) here. 😉

If you have a free moment, or an entire morning, make these. You’ll kiss yourself for it.

ENJOY!

Gevrek - Soft Pretzel | www.diethood.com | #softpretzelrecipe #gevrek #bread

Sesame Bagels {Gevrek}

Katerina | Diethood
Gevrek, similar to a soft pretzel, or even a sesame bagel, is a chewy yet soft bread-product. Shape it into a ring, dip it in honey and water, top with sesame seeds, and voila! You've got a homemade bagel-style snack.
5 from 1 vote
Servings : 16
Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients
  

Gevrek
  • teaspoons active dry yeast
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
Topping
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and warm water; let stand 10 minutes, or until frothy.
  • Add flour, salt, and 1 cup water to yeast mixture.
  • Mix until combined. You may need to mix with your hands.
  • Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 minutes by hand, or 10 minutes by heavy-duty mixer, until the dough is very smooth.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel; let stand for 2 hours.
  • Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead it for 5 minutes.
  • Roll the dough into a log and cut it into equal pieces.
  • Form each piece into a ball and let rest under a towel for 30 minutes.
  • Roll each ball into a 10-inch long rope.
  • Form the rope into a ring, pressing the overlapping ends together to seal.
  • Place on a greased baking sheet and let rest 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 450.
  • In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together honey and 1 cup of water.
  • Put the sesame seeds on a flat plate.
  • Dip each ring of Gevrek in honey-water first, then in the sesame seeds, completely coating the Gevrek with the sesame seeds on all sides.
  • Continue with the rest of the dough and transfer them all back to the baking sheet; let rest 30 minutes.
  • Take each ring and rotate it gently through your hands, enlarging it into about a 6-inch circle.
  • Place the rings back on the baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Serve plain or with a side of yogurt.

Notes

Gevrek tastes best fresh out of the oven, but they are still good a couple of days later. Store covered.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 294 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 187 mg | Potassium: 157 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 17 g | Vitamin C: 0.1 mg | Calcium: 190 mg | Iron: 4.3 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Macedonian
Keyword: gevrek, how to make bagels, sesame bagel recipe, soft bagel recipe
Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

Categories:

Scroll to Top