Ingredients for Simit Pizza (Turkish Sesame Bread Ring Pizza)
- 1 simit (Turkish sesame bread ring)
- Olive oil
- 100 g kaşar cheese (Turkish semi-hard cheese, similar to mild cheddar)
- 8 slices sucuk (Turkish spiced beef sausage)
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 charleston pepper (long green pepper)
- 4 black olives
How to Make Simit Pizza (Turkish Sesame Bread Ring Pizza)
Cut the simit in half horizontally. Drizzle olive oil over both halves. Evenly distribute 100 g of shredded kaşar cheese over them. On top of the cheese, arrange 1 slice of sucuk, half a cherry tomato, halved charleston peppers, and olives that have been halved and pitted. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) until the kaşar cheese has melted.
About This Recipe
Simit, which originated in the palace kitchens and bakeries of the Ottoman Empire, is a circular baked good coated with sesame, flax, poppy, or sunflower seeds. The word "simit" comes from the Arabic word samid, meaning "white bread" or "fine flour." The 17th-century traveler Evliya Çelebi mentioned this bread in his Book of Travels as "simid," "simid-i nam çörek," and "simid-i halka." He also noted that simit sellers in Istanbul worked across 70 bakeries with a total of 300 workers, some of whom were apprentices working on behalf of their affiliated bakeries. It is said that the white, distinctly prepared variety of simit came to the Ottomans via the Balkans, and that the Bursa-style kazan simidi was first made by immigrants from Albania. Simit has a long history that began in Istanbul and later spread to many cities around the world. Sources indicate that simit has been produced in Istanbul since 1525. Simit and its varieties spread to many countries throughout the Ottoman Empire, and its popularity has continued to grow day by day.
The size, texture, and other characteristics of simit vary from region to region. In İzmir, simit is known as gevrek. Simits in Ankara are smaller than those in other cities. Istanbul's simits are prepared with pekmez (Turkish grape molasses). Bread varieties known as covrigi in Romania, obwarzanek in Poland, and bublik in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are very similar to simit. The most notable difference is that the dough rings are briefly boiled in hot water before baking, rather than being dipped in a water and pekmez syrup as with simit.
Today we've prepared simit — also known as the sesame kebab — as a very practical snack, but if you'd like, you can treat your loved ones to this flavor at home using our Easy Simit recipe. Our quick and easy Simit Pizza will satisfy both your eyes and your appetite. Enjoy!
