Poppy Seed Bread

I didn’t know that poppy seeds are edible before coming to Eskisehir, the city where I’m living now. There are many pastry shops here and they have various breads that I didn’t see in my hometown. One of these unique breads is bread with mashed poppy seeds. As you can guess, it didn’t last long for me to become a big fan of this fantastic bread. We often buy it from a pastry shop nearby in the early morning when it’s still warm and we have the pleasure of eating this bread at breakfast with some cheese, sliced tomato and cucumber accompanied by newly brewed black tea.

These poppy seeds are used in pastry decoration and when they are mashed they turn into another amazing flavor. These are in three colors: black, yellow and white. Yellow and white mashed poppy seeds are used in pastries. As these are light in color, they don’t spoil the color of dough (you see in my bread above). Also, the rate of oil they include is not so high, which is better for pastries. As for the black mashed poppy seeds, it is mixed with grape molasses just like tahini and becomes a perfect food for breakfast especially in Winter.

Mix all the ingredients for dough, knead it and wait it for 1 hour to rise. It shouldn’t be sticky, if it’s still sticky, then add a little more flour.

Knead the dough once more. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter and roll it out in a rectangle like shape.

Mix mashed poppy seeds and olive oil very well, it mustn’t be thick, must be like a flowing mixture. Spread this on the dough and then throw the raisins/currants on it.

Then roll the dough tightly.

Cut the dough roll lengthwise into two with a sharp knife.

Turn their insides with filling mixture upside.

Put one half on the middle of the other half and give them a shape of hook.

Plait each pieces until the end.

Oil a circle oven tray and place the bread dough gently in a circular shape. Combine the two ends of the dough and stick them together by pressing gently with your fingers.
Bake it for 35 minutes and serve it with black tea or coffee.

If you can’t find mashed poppy seeds, here is an alternative recipe for its filling:

Put the poppy seeds, raisin and milk in a pot. Boil it over the lowest heat until the seeds and raisin rise and there is no milk left. It takes for about 10 min. Meanwhile, whisk corn starch, yolk and milk in a bowl. At the end of the cooking time of poppy seeds and raisins, add the yolk mixture into the pot and boil stirring until it gets thick enough. Take it from fire and finally add butter and stir well.  Spread this mixture on the dough you roll and bake it in the same way.

Poppy Seed Bread

A flavorful bread made with mashed poppy seed butter.

• Author: zerrin
• Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Pastry
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Turkish

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 1 cup milk(warm)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Filling mixture

• 1 cup yellow mashed poppy seed
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup raisin/currants

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients for dough, knead it and wait it for 1 hour to rise. It shouldn’t be sticky, if it’s still sticky, then add a little more flour.
2. Preheat the oven at 350F.
3. Knead the dough once more. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter and roll it out in a rectangle like shape.
4. Mix mashed poppy seeds and olive oil very well, it mustn’t be thick, must be a runny mixture. Spread this on the dough and then throw the raisins/currants on it.
5. Then roll the dough tightly.
6. Cut the dough roll into two with a sharp knife.
7. Turn their insides with filling mixture upside.
8. Put one half on the middle of the other half and give them a shape of hook.
9. Plait each pieces until the end.
10. Oil a circle oven tray and place the bread dough gently in a circular shape. Combine the two ends of the dough and stick them together by pressing gently with your fingers.
11. Bake it for 35 minutes and serve it with black tea or coffee.

Notes

*If you can’t find mashed poppy seeds, here is an alternative recipe for its filling:

• 3/4 cup poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp butter

Put the poppy seeds, raisins and half of the milk in a pot. Boil it over the lowest heat until the seeds and raisin rise and there is no milk left. It takes for about 10 min. Meanwhile, whisk corn starch, yolk and the other half of milk in a bowl. At the end of the cooking time of poppy seeds and raisins, add the yolk mixture into the pot and boil stirring until it gets thick enough. Take it from fire and finally add butter and stir well. Spread this mixture on the dough you roll and bake it in the same way.

Keywords: poppy seed bread