Ka'ak Bread or Lebanese Purse Bread is a very popular flatbread found in the streets of Beirut, Lebanon. The bread is often shaped in a teardrop shape with a hole in the center making it look like a purse.
Ka'ak is a very famous and popular street bread sold all over the city of Beirut. It is mostly sold by street vendors on a bicycle where they hang the bread from a pole for easy transportation. The Ka'ak bread is also called the handbag bread or the purse bread because of its shape.
The vendors would happily slit the bread and coat it with Za'atar or local cheese. The bread is a very basic simple recipe that is slightly crusty on the outside and has a great airy crumb inside.
This bread has a 3 rise instead of the regular 2 rises and that really makes a difference in the flavor. I totally enjoyed shaping the bread and it was such an awesome bake.
The images of the bread hanging from the carts of the street vendors was so appealing and I now have even more reason to go visit these cities to enjoy the local food.
The texture of the bread is greatly enhanced when baked with steam. The steam can be skipped and the bread can be baked as is, but I would personally recommend baking it with the steam.
My Other recipes in the A-Z International Flatbread Series –
A for Aish Baladi
B for Boulanee Katchalu
C for Chickpea Flatbread / Socca
E for Emirati Khameer
F for Fruit Focaccia
G for Gozleme
H for Himbasha
I for Indian Fry Bread
J for Janta Roti
Preparation time - 15 minutes plus about 3 hours of resting time
Baking time - 10 to 12 minutes per batch
Difficulty level - Intermediate
Recipe adapted from - My Diverse Kitchen
Ingredients to make Ka'ak Bread | Lebanese Purse Bread - Makes 4
- All-purpose flour - 1 ¾ cups
- Whole wheat flour - ½ cup
- Active dry yeast - ½ TBSP
- Sugar - 2 TBSP
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Warm milk - ¾ cup
- Warm water - as needed to make a soft dough
- Olive oil - 1 TBSP
- Milk / Egg Wash - for brushing over the dough
- Sesame seeds - about 2 TBSP
Procedure to make Ka'ak Bread | Lebanese Purse Bread -
Making the Dough -
- Measure the milk and warm it just enough to proof the yeast. Add the sugar and the yeast and mix well. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, the mixture should be frothy. If not, the yeast is not active and you will need to start with a new batch of yeast.
- I made my dough in the stand mixer. Add the flour, salt, oil, and yeast mixture to the bowl of the mixer. Using a dough hook, start mixing the flour until they come together. you might need a little more warm water to make a soft dough.
- The dough should be quite soft, but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 7 to 8 minutes and then place it in a greased bowl to rise. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it doubles in volume. I love using the proof setting in my oven. The dough every time proves perfect in the setting and does not take more than an hour.
- Bring the dough out after the first rise and knead it gently for a minute. Form it into a ball and place it in a greased bowl for the second rise. It took me less than an hour for the second rise.
Shaping and Baking -
- After the second rise, place the dough on a floured surface. Divide it into 4 equal-sized balls.
- Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Working with one piece of dough, flatten it and roll it into a teardrop shape. Keep the thickness of the dough to about ½ inch. My dough was rolled to about 6 inches long.
- Using a cookie cutter, cut out a ring from the narrow part of the rolled dough. Slightly pull the dough to elongate the shape and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat the same with the rest of the dough, keeping 2 pieces per tray.
- Cover the trays and let the shaped bread proof for about 30 minutes or until slightly puffy.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 F. I used steam to bake the bread. To create steam, I place an aluminum tray half filled with water on the bottommost shelf of the oven when it is preheating. The water also heats up and there is enough steam inside the oven when we are ready to place the bread inside.
- When the bread is done rising, brush it with egg wash or I just use milk to brush my bread. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- When the oven has preheated, bake one tray at a time for about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating once in between for even baking.
- The bread should appear golden brown when done.
Other Street Food recipes
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Ka'ak Bread | Lebanese Purse Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup All purpose flour
- ½ cup Whole wheat flour
- ½ tablespoon Active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Warm milk
- Warm water as needed to make a soft dough
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- Milk / Egg Wash for brushing over the dough
- 2 tablespoon Sesame seeds
Instructions
Making the Dough -
- Measure the milk and warm it just enough to proof the yeast. Add the sugar and the yeast and mix well. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, the mixture should be frothy. If not, the yeast is not active and you will need to start with a new batch of yeast.
- I made my dough in the stand mixer. Add the flours, salt, oil and the yeast mixture to the bowl of the mixer. Using a dough hook, start mixing the flour until they come together. you might need a little more warm water to make a soft dough.
- The dough should be quite soft, but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 7 to 8 minutes and then place it in a greased bowl to rise. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it doubles in volume. I love using the proof setting in my oven. The dough every time proofs perfectly in the setting and does not take more than an hour.
- Bring the dough out after the first rise and knead it gently for a minute. Form it into a ball and place it in a greased bowl for the second rise. It took me less than an hour for the second rise.
Shaping an Baking -
- After the second rise, place the dough on a floured surface. Divide it into 4 equal sized ball.
- Prepare 2 baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Working with one piece of dough, flatten it and roll it into a tear drop shape. Keep the thickness of the dough to about ½ inch. My dough was rolled to about 6 inches long.
- Using a cookie cutter, cut out a ring from the narrow part of the rolled dough. Slightly pull the dough to elongate the shape and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat the same with the rest of the dough, keeping 2 pieces per tray.
- Cover the trays and let the shaped bread proof for about 30 minutes or until slightly puffy.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 F. I used steam to bake the bread. To create steam, I place a aluminum tray half filled with water in the bottom most shelf of the oven when it is preheating. The water also heats up and there is enough steam inside the oven when we are ready to place the bread inside.
- When the bread is done rising, brush it with egg wash or I just use milk to brush my breads. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- When the oven has preheated, bake one tray at a time for about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating once in between for even baking.
- The bread should appear golden brown when done.
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
This purse bread looks so good. I wonder. Does it taste like a pretzel at all? The consistency.
April says
The shape of this bread is amazing! I mean it's not often that you make something in this shape, so I am really excited about having this recipe. Delicious and inspiring.
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
These are so neat looking! I really love the shape, and I bet they are delicious to eat!
Ashley says
I never heard of this bread before stumbling upon this recipe. It's so fun and delicious too!
Danielle says
The shape is amazing! And it does look like a great way to enjoy the taste of Lebanon without leaving the house! I can't wait to make your ka'ak now! 🙂
Mahy Elamin says
I've always wanted to make this and now it popped in my face!! WOW!! Your ka'ak looks perfect!! I've had it in Lebanon when I visited some 15 years ago and I still vividly remember it!! I'm absolutely making this one! Thaks for the detailed instructions and photos 🙂
Padmajha PJ says
That's an awesome bread Sandhya! I have seen this on some lebanese / beirut centered blogs and insta accounts and always admired the shape.And yours looks so professionally done! Love the sesame topping!
preeti garg says
Love the shape just like a holder or handbag .. so beautiful
Srivalli says
Amazing shape and the baked one looks so cute sandhya..you sure have fun baking all these bread!.
code2cook says
I loved this bread when I saw in Priya's blog. Having such a purse like shape and baked texture kaak bread looks so attracting. Great that you pulled up international bread so beautifully. Lebanese purse bread looks amazing.
Mayuri Patel says
Love your new handbag Sandhya, beats all the Louis Vuitton, MKs and all other brands. What a beautiful flatbread, has been on my list for a while. You and Priya are tempting me to make it sooner.
Ritu Tangri says
Superb Sandhya! this purse shaped bread is just awesome with a beautiful golden crust and sesame on the top.
Renu says
Wow lovely shape. I had seen this while searching, but did not shortlist it. Bread is so perfectly baked feeling to grab one now.
Priya Suresh says
We are in same wavelength again Sandhya, even my choice for K is Kaak, and trust me yours looks more pretty than mine. I just enjoyed making this bread. Am planning to make them again as my kids loved this bread.
Gayathri Raani says
That is a beautifully shaped bread. This is so cute. After seeing yours and Priya's I am tempted to try it. The three rises must add a nice flavour to the bread..
Harini says
Wow! wow! wow! superb purse shaped bread. Love the shape, the sesame seed topping and hopefully you have tucked in a few $$$ 🙂
Vaishali Sabnani says
Very very interesting shape and how well you have baked , such a lovely golden crust . The sesame seeds look so pretty and festive . Would love to try this bread .
Sowmya says
I am a bag collector and this would be an awesome addition to it! Thrice risen bread gets an awesome flavour...and baking with steam would just be the icing on top! I have to try this asap!!