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Based on Pane Siciliano, a classic Sicilian sesame bread, these deeply golden sesame semolina twists with nutty sesame seeds and a nice chewy interior are an absolute cinch to make. There’s no kneading or mixer required; simply mix up the dough and let rest a few hours, then chill until ready to bake (the dough keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator).
I love these twists freshly baked with butter and jam (and experience tells me they also make a fine lunch when split and lightly toasted with a slather of peanut butter, sweet honey drizzle, and hearty shake of cinnamon).
No matter how you enjoy them, you can never go wrong with freshly baked artisan bread.
PrintSesame Semolina Twists
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 twists
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Golden golden sesame semolina twists based on Pane Siciliano, a classic Sicilian sesame bread made with semolina flour. Recipe makes 12 twists.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 1/2 cups (340 g) water
- 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (212 g) durum semolina flour
- 1 2/3 cups (230 g) all-purpose flour
Wash & Topping
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp + 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat water in a microwave-safe measuring cup for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until very warm (120-130°F). Combine warm water, yeast, and salt in a 3-quart bowl or lidded (not airtight) food container. Gradually mix in flours with a dough whisk or wooden spoon, just until combined. Cover bowl loosely with plastic and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours, until the dough rises and flattens on top.
- After 2 hours, place the covered dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, or up to two weeks. When ready to bake, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with semolina flour. Flour board or counter well and dust refrigerated dough with flour. Use floured hands to quickly shape dough into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating dough as you go.
- Use a floured bench scraper to cut dough into four pieces; cut each piece into 3 pieces for a total of 12 pieces. Gently roll each piece into an 8-inch rope; shape into a twist and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 40 minutes; in the last 20 minutes, preheat oven to 450°F with an empty broiler pan on the lower rack.
- For the wash, combine cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to form a slurry; whisk in 1/4 cup water. Microwave for 1 minute, until mixture appears glassy. Gently brush twists with wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Place baking sheet in oven and pour 1 cup hot water into broiler pan below, quickly closing oven door. Bake for 25 minutes, until twists are golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.
Notes
Adapted from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
Laura, I just made a batch of your rolls. Awesome recipe….very authentic texture and taste. Better than what I can buy at our local bakery and I live in a very old-school Italian area. Just wanted to say thank you for putting this together for all of us out here who enjoy your foods.
Thanks Carol, so glad to hear that! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
I love how simple this bread is! It looks incredible and your photos are so gorgeous!
Such pretty twists!
Gorgeous! I’ll have mine with peanut butter, honey & cinnamon, please!
I love rolls like these with jam and butter! These are beautiful Laura! You should join Twelve Loaves! : )
What a beautiful shape! How did you twist the rope, exactely? They’re really nice 😉
Looks very fluffy and delicious.
You are quite right. You can never go wrong with fresh artisan bread. Love the shape. They look so fancy!
Now these would be perfect fresh from the oven with a cup of hot coffee or tea!