Thessaloniki Sesame Rings

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine all our ingredients (all together...easy, right?). Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and no longer sticks to the bowl or your hands. Once the dough is ready, transfer it to our work surface, shape it a little (it should be an elastic and fluffy dough). Cut it into 60g balls and let them rest for about 10 minutes.

-Shape the balls into sticks of about 10-12 cm. Fill a bowl with water and place a plate with the sesame seeds next to it. With one hand, dip the stick into the water, shake off excess water, and then dip it into the sesame seeds. With the other hand, rotate the stick to coat it evenly and place it on a tray to rest. Repeat the process for the remaining sticks.

-Once all the sticks are ready, let them rest for about 10 minutes, and preheat the oven to 50°C to be ready for proofing our sesame rings. After the rest, take the sticks, stretch them a bit, and form a ring. Join the ends together (overlap the ends).

-Place the sesame rings on a baking tray and proof them for 5 minutes or until desired fluffiness. Thessaloniki sesame rings are thin and crispy. However, if you prefer them softer and fluffier, leave them in the oven a little longer. Remove the trays from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C. Once the oven reaches the desired temperature, place the trays with the rings inside and bake for about 15 minutes (depending on your oven's performance).

-This recipe yields approximately 14 sesame rings, unless you prefer them fluffier or larger. -It does not contain butter, making it suitable for fasting periods. -When dipping the sticks in water and sesame seeds, use one hand for dipping and the other hand for rotating, ensuring clean hands and avoiding excess sesame seeds. -You can make the rings slightly smaller and more fluffy, and add your favorite fillings (turkey, cheese, guacamole, hazelnut praline, cheese salad, mayonnaise, tomato, cucumber, feta, etc.). -You can prepare them in advance and freeze them. This way, they are ready whenever you need them.

Giorgos, thank you very much for everything!!!!