Turkish flat bread bread otherwise known as "ТуКаЧи" or "Лепешки"

 Well after making batch after batch of homemade butter I was left with sweet buttermilk at my disposal. It was perfect timing to make a Turkish style flat bread, we call Tu-ka-chee. Maybe some of you call these flat breads Лепешки. Whatever named you chose to called them isn't as important as the taste. Fresh out of the oven this flat breads are soft, chewy and crusty on the outside and light on the inside. I really wish I could captured the smell of these little breads baking, nothing beats the delicious smell of freshly baked bread.


 Well this is my mom's recipe and like most older generation cooks she doesn't have an actual recipe! It's all in her head and each time the recipe slightly changes and each time it works out. It's hard enough to follow a recipe and hopefully it turns out but every recipe my mom has in her repertoire are all in her head, made perfectly each and every time!! I decided it's time to start writing these down, these recipes are years and years of memories in the making. And today I am sharing one of these recipes with you. This recipe is simple and it doesn't take a lot of time. Next time you want to make fresh bread, try this recipe....

~ТуКаЧи~

Homemade Grain Mix

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw flax seed

1/2 cup oatmeal

1 cup natural bran

Makes 3 cups.

Stir grains altogether in a mixing bowl. Set aside for later. 

For Dough:

2 tbsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

Pour the warm water into a small glass bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast onto the water and set aside for the yeast to develop.

5 cups leftover buttermilk 

(leftover from making butter, store bought buttermilk works fine too)

1/2 melted butter

1 tbsp salt

8 cups all-purpose flour 

Place buttermilk and butter in large pot or stainless steel mixing bowl. Heat mixture till lukewarm, stir in salt. Remove from heat. If you heated milk in a pot, pour mixture into large mixing bowl, I usually just carry on using the same stainless steel mixing bowl that I heated the milk mixture in.

Stir developed yeast and 2 tbsp olive oil into buttermilk mixture in the bowl. You can your favorite cooking oil, I use olive oil, it make the dough soft and adds great flavour.  Also adds 3 cups of the reserved grain mixture to the bowl. Use a large wooden spoon or dry, clean hands to mix ingredients thoroughly.  

After the milk/grain mixture is well mixed start adding flour. Add 2 cups flour and blend well into wet ingredients, Slowly continue adding 2 cups flour at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition. Continue adding flour until you have added all 8 cups and the mixture comes together into a soft smooth  

dough. If it is a bit sticky add 1/2 cup flour more until you reach desired constituency. 

Turn out dough onto clean floured surface and using as little flour as possible (extra flour will make dough tough) 

knead dough for 5-10 minutes or until dough is smooth. 

Because I use such a big mixing bowl (see picture) I just knead the dough right in the bowl. 

I Kneaded the dough right in the bowl.

Place dough, seams down, in large bowl, make sure the bowl is larger than the size of the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap, then clean dish towel and put in a warm place. Let the dough rise 45-50 minutes, dough will be double in

 size. 

Place dough seam-side down in large bowl.Cover with plastic wrap, and clean dish cloth.

Once the dough has double in size. Divide the dough into 3 even portions. You can use a sharp knife or just pinch dough portions off with your hands.

Dough has double in size.

Form each portion into a log with your hands.

Then cut log into even portion, approximately 2-3 cm wide.

Form each cut portion into a ball, rolling each piece in your hands. Set aside until you have rolled all the dough into nice, even dough balls.

Don't they look so delicious already?

Let dough balls rest while you lightly grease 2 or 3 baking sheets. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Celsius.

Next step is the important part. Thanks to my handy assistance, my mom:), I can show you how it's done. Take each ball and with your finger tips press the dough down starting in the centre and working out towards edges. Stop about 1 inch before the edge, leaving a raise edge.

Press the dough down starting in the centre and working out towards edges.

Place each Tukach or Лепешки on baking sheet. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. 

Place flat breads on baking sheets:) 

Brush with egg wash. Egg wash is made by beating one egg in a small bowl, together till frothy.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Bake at 350 Celsius for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool on wire rack or on flat surface covered with paper towel  

Freshly straight out of the oven, you can sit down and try sounding out the name while, you enjoy one of these delicious flat bread....Tu-Ka-Chee....whatever you chose to call them is up to you but I do know that once you make them you'll be hooked:)   

Oh, remember that fresh butter I made.......

It's perfect with fresh, warm, bread!! I wrapped the butter in brown parchment paper.

Are you hungry yet?

This makes a large batch. My brother happened to stopped by just as they were coming out of the oven so I packed a few for him to enjoy. Didn't even have to ask him twice :)

You can easily cut the ingredients in half and make a smaller batch!! 

Bon appetit! Приятного аппетита!