Ka'ak: Anise-seek Rings

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons fresh yeast or 4 pkgs active dry yeast
3 tablespoons plus 2 tsps kosher salt
2 1/2 pounds (8 cups) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon anise seed
1 heaping tsp ground coriander seed
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
2tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 pound (1 cup) vegetable shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup sesame seeds

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small glass bowl, add 2 1/2 cups of lukewarm water, a little sugar, salt, and yeast - mixing it well. set asisde until the yeast is dissolved and bubbles appear on the surfarce. Stir it up.

2. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and form a well in the center. Add the anise seed, coriander seed, cumin, oil, sugar, and vegetable shortening. Stir until well combined. Then add the yeast mixutre into the well, absorbing all the flour. Mix thoroughly.

3. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes. It should be soft, yet smooth and elastic, and it should no longer stick to the sides of the bowl. (Add a sprinkle of flour if it is too sticky as you knead.)

4. Cover the bowl with a dry towel, and let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours in a place where it is warm and not drafty.

5. On a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll half the dough into a 2-inch diameter log. Cut the log into 1/2-in rounds and roll each of the rounds to a length of about 4 inches, crimping each edge if you like.

6. Shape each strip into a ring, crimped edges facing outward. brush each ring of dough lightly with the egg beaten with 2 tablspoons of water. Then dip each dough ring into sesame seeds. Place the Ka'ak on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking tray in even rows.

7. Bake each 10 minutes. When all the ka'ak are completely baked, reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Then crisp by reducing oven temperature to 200 degrees F for 20 minutes. The crisping stage is essential to produce the crunch and texture desired. The ka'ak should appear very light gold and crisp. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

This recipe is taken from my favorite cookbook: Aromas of Aleppo: The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews which can be purchased on Amazon.com