This Sourdough Spelt Ka’ak Bread is my rendition of Lebanese Bread which is shaped like a purse, sprinkled with Sesame Seeds, and sold on the streets of Beirut.
Ka’ak is the bread of the month for the Bread Baking Babes. I decided to make my version using sourdough and a mixture of all-purpose and wholegrain spelt. This version turned out crispy and light on the outside and soft and airy on the inside.
When you search for Ka’ak, you find lots of cool photos of the bread purses hanging on poles or dangling from hooks on street carts. After seeing how creative some of the other Babes were in displaying their Ka’ak, I decided to try hanging them from a wooden rolling pin.
Ka’ak is a fun bread to make and it’s delicious! The purse breads have pockets and are typically filled with za’atar or soft cheese. From what I understand, when you get Ka’ak from a street vendor, they will fill the bread on the spot and you take it with you to enjoy.
That sounded pretty tasty to me but I enjoyed them plain, with butter, and as a dipping bread with olive oil, cracked black pepper, and spices. They taste best eaten warm from the oven, but they also freeze well and can be reheated in the oven.
The first time I made these breads, they turned out more like flatbreads with a little puffiness. I enjoyed that version as well. They were crispy like a cracker. The ones in the photo below were baked a couple of days after I made the dough. It had been resting in the refrigerator for 36-48 hours. So if you prefer a crispier version, you can let the dough ferment in the refrigerator longer.
As far as shaping Ka’ak, there are a couple of different methods. One way is to roll them out into rounds and use a biscuit cutter to cut out a circle near the top of the loaf to form the handle. Another way is to roll them into a log, and taper the ends, and bring them together to form the purse.
Some bakers prefer the second method because this alleviates the leftover dough from the cutouts. I decided to use the biscuit-cutter method and bake the small rounds along with the purses. I enjoyed the biscuits as snacks so there was no waste.
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Sourdough Spelt Kaak Bread #BreadBakingBabes
- Yield: 8 Ka'ak 1x
Description
This Sourdough Spelt Ka’ak Bread is my rendition of a Lebanese Bread which is shaped like a purse, sprinkled with Sesame Seeds and sold on the streets of Beirut.
Ingredients
- 120 grams sourdough starter, discarded is fine
- 200 grams buttermilk or regular milk, scalded then cooled
- 150 grams water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast, optional
- 100 grams whole grain spelt flour
- 450 grams all purpose spelt flour, plus additional for rolling out the dough
- 1 egg for egg wash or just spritz with water
- 1–2 tbs sesame seeds per ka’ak
- You will also need lined baking sheets
Instructions
- Scald the milk and let it cool down.
- Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, yeast) in a separate bowl.
- In a large bowl, add the starter, olive oil, cooled milk and water. Stir to incorporate.
- Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and mix thoroughly using a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk.. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10-15 minutes.
- Fold the dough, shape into a ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it proof for 2 hours
- Fold after the first hour, then place back in the bowl and let it proof another hour
- Fold the dough again, place back in the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap
- Place in the refrigerator overnight for 8 – 12 hours..
- The next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead to remove excess gas
- Shape into a ball and place on the work surface to rest for 30 minutes to warm up
- Divide the dough into 8 balls ~ 130 grams each, or 6 larger breads, if you prefer
- Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle approx. 18cm / 7″ diam., about 1.1/2 cm / 1/2 inch thick.
- Place the shaped breads on lined baking sheets, be careful not to stretch the dough.
- Use a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out a circle near the top to form the “handle” and loosely cover to rise another 30 minutes to an hour.
- While the breads are proofing, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F, with a baking stone or baking steel. I placed a baking steel on the middle rack. If you want crispier bread, place the baking stone on the bottom shelf.
- Egg wash or spritz the breads with water, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Transfer the breads (on the parchment paper) onto the baking stone or steel then spritz them again with water.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden and puffed. Check after 5 minutes, rotate the parchment for even baking and turn the oven down to 450 degrees F.
- Category: Ka'ak Lebanese Street Bread
Here are some resources for inspiration:
- Taste of Beirut – information on the bread and the way it is baked and sold in Beirut
- The old Curiosity Shop – photos of street vendors selling Kaak
- Gin´s Kitchen – recipe for making Kaak
- Heghineh on youtube – a fun video on how to shape Kaak
Kelly says
Whoa, the interior crumb looks absolutely wonderful! So light and fluffy, love how they turned out. Nice to have a sourdough version.
Cathy says
Thanks Kelly! The sourdough version is yummy!
Elizabeth says
They look perfect! Even the flat ones look good (they must be evening bags…).
I love that you made them with a sourdough starter! Considering how gorgeous the second everyday handbag versions look, I’m getting closer and closer to steeling myself to capture yeast and have another pet.
Cathy says
Thanks Elizabeth! I like the idea of an evening bag. I’m glad you’re starting to come around to the idea of keeping a sourdough starter pet.
Lien says
That’s a big difference between these bags; thick and thin. I must say they appeal to me both, a cracker like bread is very nice too! Well done for finding this out for us, thanks!
Cathy says
I agree Lien! There is a big difference between the two. I liked them both! Just depends on the mood I guess and how long you keep the dough in the refrigerator. 🙂
Karen says
Love that you can use discarded starter in these. There’s nothing wrong with the “mixed method,” right? Gorgeous loaves and beautiful crumb. and I love Elizabeth’s idea of “evening bags.”
Cathy says
Thanks Karen! Nope nothing wrong with using the “mixed method.”
Katie Zeller says
The cracker bread looks great – very portable. It’s summer so I’m thinking bike rides and picnics….
Cathy says
Bike rides and picnics … sounds nice.
Tanna says
I am thunderstruck! Sourdough throw off use! fabulous and leave unbaked dough in fridge for later baker. I can see loving both versions! Excellent.
Cathy says
Yes Tanna, this is definitely a versatile bread.
Baking Soda says
Interesting how the dough behaved after a few days rest! We enjoyed the cut-out bits as a snack as well. Next time I am going to try the other way of shaping. Love the soft color on yours.
Cathy says
Yes, it is always interesting to see how you can “push the envelope” with dough.
Judy says
Mine were flat, too, so clearly, I need to try again. I’m getting ready to make new started, so this will be one of my first projects. Thanks for trailblazing!
Cathy says
My pleasure Judy! Have fun making your new starter.