Chickpea Starter Kumru Sandwich Bread Recipe
As I promised, I am here with my first bread recipe that you can make with chickpea starter.
Kumru sandwich is a special sandwich you can find around İzmir and Cesme in Turkey. What makes it special is its dove shaped bread prepared with chickpea starter. It's also one of the reasons I started to make chickpea starter.
The chickpea bread and therefore the kumru bread has a slightly sweet taste, a unique aromatic fragrance, a fine, saturated texture and a soft crust. Although it may seem small, you can easily get enough with one.
İzmir Kumru and Çeşme Kumru
With these breads, you can prepare both Izmir Kumru sandwich (filled with Izmir Tulum cheese, Tomato and Green Pepper) and Cesme Kumru sandwich (fried sayas cheese, fried sausage and tomatoes). Instead of tulum cheese, you can use provolone and instead of sayas cheese you can use any grill cheese. In Spain I use queso para plancha for example and it works really fine.
There are two important points to pay attention to when preparing the dough; consistency of the dough and duration of the fermentation. In chickpea starter bread, as in sourdough bread, in addition to flour and water, we use pre-yeast, which is an ingredient he consistency of which can always change. Since the consistency of the pre ferment always changes, the amount of flour you need to use may also change drastically. For this reason, you should mix the water and pre-yeast first and then add the flour gradually, checking the consistency of the dough. Chickpea leavened dough has a consistency that can cause you to add more flour than necessary as it reaches a sticky consistency if you give it time. So while kneading, don't stop even for a second, keep kneading and don't give it the opportunity to tend to stick.
Chickpea leavened breads need to be fermented longer than the dough made with store bought yeasts. 1.5-2 hours after kneading, and at least 1 hour after shaping is necessary in summer. You can extend the time during the winter or you can keep the dough in the oven, which you slightly heat it or put a container full of boiling water.
A mixture of water and molasses is applied on the kumru bread, as in the Ankara simidi recipe. In that point, let me note that it is a good alternative for topping baked goods for those who are allergic to eggs.
Enjoy the recipe...
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea pre ferment (you can find the chickpea starter recipe link in the notes section above),
- 3/4 cups of warm water,
- 2,5-3 cups of all purpose flour,
- 1 teaspoon sugar,
- 1 teaspoon salt,
- 2 tablespoons olive oil,
- For topping 1 tablespoon molasses, 2 tablespoons water and roasted sesame seeds.
Preparation
- Mix the pre ferment, water and sugar in a deep bowl,
- Start stirring by adding the flour gradually,
- Add salt and oil in half,
- Add the remaining flour gradually and knead until you obtain a dough that does not stick to the hand,
- Cover it with a plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 1,5-2 hours,
- Knead the dough again and divide it into four equal parts,
- Shape them like a dove (chubby in the middle, thin in the edges) and place into a baking tray covered with wax paper,
- Let it rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature,
- Mix the molasses and water and spread on the breads and sprinkle with sesame seeds,
- Use a razor blade or a sharp knife to make a line through middle,
- Put 1-2 cups of boiling water into a heat-resistant container put in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees,
- Place the breads in the oven as well and bake them until golden brown.
Bon appetit...
- Christa: Ellerinize sağlık..... I'm so so excited to try this out after bayram Inshallah. My husband loves kumru so u cant to surprising him with this. And I love chickpea bread. Thank you so much for sharing August 6, 2019 7:59 pm
- Kevser: Thanks for the comment. I hope you and of course your husband like it. Please share your experience after you try it☺️ Happy Bayram in advance by the way💕 August 6, 2019 8:08 pm
- Calista: Just got back from Izmir and I miss these sandwiches. I’m going to try this recipe. Do these breads freeze well? October 20, 2020 8:50 am
- Kevser: You can freeze them after baking☺️ October 24, 2020 1:51 pm
- Anie: Are you familiar with the “Aintab kekhke” or “ Gazi Aintab yaghle kakhke/bread” that is made with chick pea starter. I love those and would love baking them if I find the recipe. Any ideas where to find just in case you don’t have the recipe? December 4, 2021 1:21 am
- Kevser: You can find mayanalı kahke recipe here; https://turkishstylecooking.com/mayanali-kahke-recipe.html It's made with yeast though. Nowadays almost no one prepare it with chickpea starter as it's a huge effort. Even there are limited kahke bakeries that prepare it with chickpea starter. But if you are brave enough to deal with chickpea starter, you can use pre ferment instead of baking powder in this recipe. December 4, 2021 5:25 am
- Naci Mussa: First time I was introduced to the kumru sandwich, I was like damn this is THE best sandwich I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. It was so flavourful and fun to eat. Thanks for sharing the recipe! March 18, 2022 7:57 am
- Kevser: Thank you for the comment😊 March 18, 2022 9:29 pm