Turkish Breakfast - Cilbir & Simit
Cilbir and simit are probably two of my favourite turkish dishes! Honestly, if I could have them everyday for breakfast I would be in heaven! If you fancy creating a fun brunch with friends then this sure is a perfect sharing platter! I created an epic video with Middle East Eye to give you a step by step of how to do these. Catch it here!
Also the Simit is perfect for creative lunch time sandwiches including my epic Pastrami Sandwich!
Cooking tips:
Perfect poached eggs need FRESH EGGS.
If your eggs aren’t so fresh then acidity would be needed such as white vinegar or lemon.
Remember you don’t want to boil the eggs so remove from the heat once the water is bubbling.
Simit can be made a day in advance and if stored well will last a couple of days with reheating done in the oven.
Simit these are done with grape molasses but I use pomegranate (of course!), because it’s easier to find in stores. It used as an alternative to an egg wash!
You can use poppy seeds instead of sesame if you fancy.
Ingredients:
Simit:
750g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
7g dried active yeast
1 tbsp sugar
Salt
350ml warm water
130ml milk
130ml vegetable oil
100ml Pomegranate molasses (mixed with 25-50ml water)
Sesame Seeds for Sprinkling
Chilli butter:
150g salted butter
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp paprika
Salt
Fresh dill and coriander
Cilbir:
300g Strained Yoghurt or Labneh
1-2 garlic cloves - Chopped super fine or minced
Salt
4 free-range eggs (Depending on how many you are cooking for)
Method:
Simit
In a large bowl, combine you plain flour with dried active yeast, sugar, salt, water, milk and vegetable oil. If using a food processor, use the dough hook attachment; otherwise knead with your hands for roughly 8-10 minutes until all the ingredients form a soft dough.
Lightly oil a separate bowl, transfer the dough into it, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to prove for an hour or two, until the dough has doubled in size.
Once your dough has risen, place it onto a floured surface and divide the doug into 12 equal pieces.
Take each piece of dough and roll out into long pieces, roughly 20-30cm in length. Take two pieces of dough, pinch the top ends together and begin twisting them over each other, forming one long plait. Pinch the other ends and then bring both ends together, forming a circle. Repeat each step until all of your dough has been shaped.
Take each simit and dip into your molasses mix until both sides are well coated, and then either dip it into the sesame seeds or sprinkle on top.
Repeat and place on a baking tray with baking paper, once complete. Leave enough of a gap between each roll, as they will rise and stick together.
Once they are all shaped, leave to prove for another 30 minutes
Once they have risen for the second time, bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
Chilli butter
In a frying pan, melt the butter along with the chilli flakes, paprika, salt and a small handful of fresh chopped dill and coriander.
Once all your butter has melted, give it a good stir, let it bubble up a tiny bit then remove from the heat and leave to cool before serving.
Cilbir
Combine labneh or strained yoghurt with the garlic & salt (to your preference).
Place it into your final serving bowl, smooth out the top and make little wells with the back of your spoon for your poached eggs.
For poaching your eggs, bring water to the boil in a saucepan, as soon as it starts boiling, turn off or reduce the heat to the lowest so you don’t over cook the eggs as they need to just poach.
Drop the eggs individually into the water. Leave to poach for roughly 2-3 minutes depending on how runny you like your yolk.
Using a perforated spoon, remove each egg and place them on a kitchen towel to drain the excess water, then carefully place them into each well you made in the yoghurt.
Drizzle your chilli butter all over your eggs, sprinkle with some extra chopped dill, then dig in and enjoy with you simit!