Tahinopsomo
Ταχινόψωμο·(ta-hee-NOP-so-mo)
Proino & Dekatiano (The Morning Rhythms)
Smear a jar of stirred tahini edge to edge. We are skipping the dense, lazy bakery imitations; the grandmother's secret is pure mechanics: rolling the tahini-laced dough into a long rope, stretching it, and twisting it tight before coiling. Because the dough stretches thin, this rustic lamination yields flaky layers of roasted sesame and cold-fermented tang, peaking when the sesame crust shatters on the cutting board beside a cup of black coffee.
Ingredients
- bread flour1 1/2 cup
- all-purpose flour1 1/2 cup
- instant yeast2 1/4 tsp
- granulated sugar3 tbsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- mastic tears1/2 tsp
- ground mahleb1/2 tsp
- lukewarm water1/2 cup
- fresh orange juice1/2 cup
- olive oil1/4 cup
- high-quality tahini1 1/2 cup
- granulated sugar1 cup
- ground cinnamon1 1/2 tbsp
- water1/3 cup
- granulated sugar1/3 cup
Method
- 01
Whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt, mastic, and mahleb together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Make a well in the center, pour in the lukewarm water, orange juice, and olive oil, and mix on medium-low for about eight minutes until the dough forms a soft, slightly tacky ball.
- 02
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight.
This cold retardation slows yeast activity, building profound flavor and relaxing the gluten while making the recipe viable for a Tuesday night schedule.
- 03
Vigorously stir the tahini in a bowl until smooth, then mix in the sugar and cinnamon to form a thick paste.
If your tahini was excessively dry, the paste might crumble; add a teaspoon of neutral oil or water until it resembles the texture of peanut butter.
- 04
Punch down the cold dough, divide it into eight equal pieces, and roll one piece on an un-floured counter into a thin rectangle.
A little counter friction helps the dough stretch. Aim for roughly twelve inches long and five inches wide, then spread two to three tablespoons of the tahini paste down the center, leaving a half-inch border.
- 05
Roll the dough up tightly from the long edge into a log, trapping the filling inside, and pinch the seam shut.
This is the crucial step to avoid a dense bread: gently pull and bounce the log against the counter to stretch it to one and a half times its original length.
- 06
Twist the ends in opposite directions to create a tensioned rope, then coil it onto itself like a snail shell.
Tuck the final end underneath and place the coil on a parchment-lined baking sheet, gently flattening it into a four-inch disc with your palm before repeating with the remaining dough.
- 07
Cover loosely with a damp towel and let rest in a warm spot for thirty to forty minutes to take the chill off while preheating the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastries are deeply golden brown and your kitchen smells like a bakery in Nicosia.
- 08
Simmer the water and sugar in a small saucepan for three minutes to create a syrup, and brush it over the hot pastries the moment they exit the oven.
The hot pastry absorbs the syrup instantly, leaving that sticky, perfect bakery glaze. Let them cool slightly before tearing into them.
Notes
Do not skip the mastic and mahleb.
These aromatics are non-negotiable for the authentic flavor profile. Mastic imparts a piney, cedar-like aroma, while mahleb tastes of bitter almond and cherry. Source them at a Middle Eastern grocer or online.
From Cook Greek in America.