Old City Jerusalem Bread (Vegan), also known as Israeli bread, Ka’ak Al Kuds, Palestinian sesame bread or Jerusalem Bagels.
The Old City in Jerusalem is known for its rickety wooden carts piled high with chewy, golden, oblong, bread rings encrusted in fragrant sesame seeds. The vendor will toss a little packet of folded newspaper into your bag. Unwrap it carefully, inside are potent green herbs. Nope it not what you think. It is Za’atar: a magical combination of herbs and salt. Break off a hunk of Jerusalem bread and dip it in. Mmmm, that’s the ticket.
Tired and flushed from a day in the Old City, Hanaan and I sat in the shade of an arched stone doorway. I leaned into him and my mom snapped our picture, caught the three of us, and our glorious day with her crappy camera.
My mother stands there still on the other side of the camera, hair deep red, lips pursed in concentration, eyes sparkling from a day of wandering the alleys and markets of the Four Quarters.
I see more people and days in this photo. My aunt Helle sewed the grey wool skirt that I am wearing with her long fingers as we sat together at her dining room table in Vejle eating nougat and listening to Billie Holiday on the cassette player.
I am wearing the shoes that two years later will adorn my feet at my festive green card wedding.
I see my boyfriend’s grandfather Tzvi staring at this photo and pointing out with his lilting river accent, how small and sparrow-like my hands are next to his beloved grandson’s shovel-like hands.
Once I sat on the steps by a gate at David’s Tower,
I placed my two heavy baskets at my side.
A group of tourists was standing around their guide and I became their target marker
“You see that man with the baskets? Just right of his head there’s an arch from the Roman period.
Just right of his head.” “But he’s moving, he’s moving!”
I said to myself: redemption will come only if their guide tells them,
“You see that arch from the Roman period? It’s not important: but next to it, left and down a bit, there sits a man who’s bought fruit and vegetables for his family.
-Yehuda Amichai
Check out my new Aquafaba page! For tips, tricks and to see all of my Aquafabulous recipes.
Jerusalem bread, is made to be shared. Take turns ripping off hunks and dipping them in fragrant, salty Za'atar.
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 1/2 tsp yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegan yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
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In a large bowl dissolve your sugar into the warm water and stir in the yeast.
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Allow the yeast mixture to sit for ten minutes. Add the salt, yohurt and oil and give it a good stir.
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Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of flour. Now slowly stir in the remaining flour stopping when your dough has become a soft ball. Knead your bread for 8 minutes on a floured board until a smooth elastic ball has formed.
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Place the ball of dough in an oiled bowl and let sit covered with a damp cloth one hour or until doubled in bulk.
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Turn your oven to 475 Fahrenheit. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment.
Up end the dough onto a cutting board and cut your dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a snake about 12-15 inches long and form an oval.
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Brush each bread with warm water and generously sprinkle on your sesame seeds. It is important to do this now so you don't deflate the rings after they rise.
Let rise 20 minutes
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Place in the hot oven and bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven when they are golden brown.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful memory of yours… you really took me there with you! You got yourself another reader, you know 😉 and a tester (what would be the proper word? Tryer? Haha, I’m Croatian so please excuse my “inovative” English 😉 ) of your recipes!
Mari! Yay, your English communicates perfectly what you wish to say. I’m so happy to have you here with me. I adore your beautiful blog
These look so perfect… and of course, I expect nothing less from you, my dear friend! Have pinned and shared, and will be eating soon! xx
Aw shucks Nico. Your making me blush! ❤️
That’s my favorite photo of the two of you. And now I “see” our mother and aunt in it too.
I have made this recipe for Old City Jerusalem bread several times and everyone absolutely drools over them. They are so tasty and easy to make. I am also planning on making your vegan pasta. I’m so happy to have, at last, found a recipe that doesn’t include eggs in the pasta making.
Yvonne (one of my favorite name), thank you for trusting in my recipe! Please let me know what you make with the pasta recipe. Cheers, Hanne
I have made your wonderful, tasty Old City Jerusalem bread many times and everyone raves about it. Thank you for sharing. I am now looking forward to making pasta with aquafaba as per your recipe. I have often wondered how I could make my pasta vegan and here is my answer.
Hi Hanne, I have just eaten a bowl of the aquafaba pasta for dinner. I can’t believe that it cooked up just like the egg pasta that I used to make. I actually included steamed chopped stinging nettles in the pasta instead of pumpkin. All I did was lace the cooked pasta with an oil, garlic and fresh mixed herb concoction. Delicious. I’ll make enough to freeze half next time and see how that behaves when cooked.
Nettles are so healthy and delicious! What a great innovation. Your herb and oil concoction sounds delicious. Please let me know how it freezes.
There is no thing such Israeli food of Jerusalem
You are basically copying the Palestanian culture
And heritage of culture and food
This is we’ll known in Jerusalem by kaek
Means cake in English it is made in the old city by over
150 years old family generation Arabic family shop
Are very well known and the secrets of the recipe never been out to anyone . No matter how hard you try simply won’t work ! Again this is Palestinian bread . Israel is an occupier that came from Europe read the history.
Hello Joseph, I hear your pain. Yes the word Kaek was borrowed from the old danish word kage and the old Swedish word kaka, meaning small flat bun. It was then taken into English and then borrowed and changed to arabic usage. I don’t claim in the above post that Jerusalem bread is Israeli. I agree, this. recipe will definitely not taste as good as the bread you get in the old city made in bakery ovens by people who have been making it for generations. Jews originated in and have lived in the region for thousands of years. Like Christians and Muslims.
I just stumbled across you looking for a recipe for the sesame ‘bageli’ that I last had decades ago in Jerusalem, when I was young and full of expectation. Your writing is gripping – I have a feeling I’ll be falling joyously down the rabbithole that is your work.
Blyma thank you for your kind words. I am so sorry for he late response I was in Peru for a month.Cheers Hanne
Awesome recipe. Have made it about 5 times already and always awesome. Thanks
Thank you for telling me of your success with this recipe. So glad that you are making and devouring it. Cheers!