Ka'ak bil Simsim
The handbag-shaped sesame bread sold from glass carts on Beirut pavements, split and filled with za’atar or cheese. Crisp outside, hollow, and almost impossible to buy anywhere else.
Image note: Illustration, generated by AI · not a photograph of this dish
The sesame has to be pressed into a wet surface or it falls off the moment the bread cools — brushing with a thin flour-and-water slurry rather than egg gives a better grip and keeps the crust matt rather than shiny. The distinctive purse shape is not decoration either: the thick ring at one end and the thin flat panel at the other bake at different rates, so you get a crisp handle and a soft, hollow body from one loaf.
Questions About Ka'ak bil Simsim
How long does Ka'ak bil Simsim take to make?
30 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 15 minutes of the dough rising, so allow 2 hours 5 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.
Ka'ak bil Simsim: Step by Step
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Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, add the oil and warm water, and knead 10 minutes to a smooth soft dough.
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Cover and prove 75 minutes, until doubled.
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Heat the oven to 230°C / 450°F with a heavy tray inside.
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Divide into 6. Roll each into an oval about 20 cm long, then use your fingers to open a hole near one end and stretch it into a ring, leaving the rest as a flat panel — a handbag with a handle.
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Whisk the 2 tbsp flour with the 4 tbsp water to a thin slurry and brush it over the tops.
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Press each one face-down into a plate of sesame seeds so they stick in a thick, even layer.
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Bake on the hot tray 18 to 20 minutes, until deep gold and hollow-sounding. Cool on a rack so the base does not soften.
Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.
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A Few Pointers
- A flour-and-water slurry grips sesame better than egg does.
- Press the bread into the seeds rather than sprinkling them on.
- Cool on a rack, or the base steams itself soft.
What to Serve With It
Za'atar and olive oil · Halloumi · Sweet tea
Leftovers and Storage
Best on the day. Two days in a paper bag; refresh 4 minutes at 200°C / 392°F. It freezes for 2 months.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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