Iraqi khubz tannour (home oven)
A soft, water-only Iraqi wheat flatbread adapted for a domestic oven with parchment and a preheated baking stone or inverted sheet.
Modern adaptation
Iraqi samoun
Iraqi diamond-shaped yeast breads topped with sesame and baked in a home oven.
Diamond-shaped bread
Samoun is an Iraqi bread shaped with tapered ends and a thicker centre. This home-oven recipe comes from a cook featured in an IOM Iraq collection.
Sources for this section
History
Samoun is documented as an Iraqi bread; the first attestation is not established.
Ingredients
Yield 10 servings · Scaling: source batch only
Instant yeast
15 mL1 tbsp as recorded
White wheat flour
1 kg
Water
355 mL1½ cup as recorded
Lukewarm; add a little more if the dough is dryVegetable oil
118 mL½ cup as recorded
Sesame seeds
Amount not stated
For topping; amount unspecifiedSalt
4.9 mL1 tsp as recorded
Sugar
15 mL1 tbsp as recorded
Method
Risks and precautions · Standard risk
Contains wheat and sesame.
Do not taste raw dough; raw flour can contain harmful germs. Wash hands and surfaces after handling it.
Use oven protection when handling hot trays.
- Mix sugar and yeast into the lukewarm water and let the yeast swell. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt, then add the oil.
- Add the yeast mixture and knead for at least 6 minutes. If the dough is dry, add a little more water; knead until it no longer sticks to your hands.
- Leave the dough for about 15 minutes until doubled. Heat the oven to 180°C.
- Divide the dough equally and roll each piece into a ball. Roll the sides into points while keeping the centre thick, then flatten into diamond shapes.
- Place on a baking tray, sprinkle with sesame and bake for 20–25 minutes. Cool before serving.
Conditions
Yield10 servings
Places
Iraq
Documented preparation · Country evidenceAn Iraqi cook's recipe appears in the IOM Iraq collection; it does not establish a precise birthplace.
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Sources
IOM IraqInspiration · Method · Geography
Bil Afia: Traditional Recipes from IraqAli's Iraqi samoun ingredients, short rise, diamond shaping and home-oven bake.
Cited in: Diamond-shaped bread