Tunisian Bejma
Walking through the colorful Belleville market in Paris one Friday morning, I came across a Jewish bakery. Glancing in the window, I was surprised to see a triangular Tunisian Friday night bread called bejma, made out of three balls of dough. It was similar in flavor to a good eastern European challah. A few years later, I passed by a branch of Charles Traiteur, on the Boulevard Voltaire, and there was the bejma again, this time placed right next to the eastern European challah.
Ingredients
3 loaves
Step 1
Dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Step 2
Add three of the eggs, the vegetable oil, the salt, and the remaining sugar. Slowly work in enough flour to make a soft, tacky dough. Beat in the mixer, or knead by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes, or until smooth. Place the kneaded dough in a large greased bowl, and let it rise, covered, for 1 hour.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and grease a cookie sheet. Punch down the dough, and divide it into nine pieces about the size of tennis balls. Arrange three rounds together, touching, on the greased cookie sheet, to form a triangle. Repeat with remaining dough. Let rise, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.
Step 4
Beat the remaining egg with a little water, and brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
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