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Sumac, onion and herb oil buns

Name: Sumac, onion and herb oil buns recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 12 buns
Ingredients: 530g plain flour, plus extra to dust; 35g caster sugar; 7g (about 1 sachet) dried yeast; 3 large eggs; 150g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 2cm pieces; Sunflower oil, to grease; 100ml olive oil; 3 onions, finely chopped; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tbs sumac, plus 1 tsp extra to dust; 2 tbs oregano, roughly chopped; 1 tbs thyme leaves, roughly chopped; 1 tsp caster sugar; 2 tbs flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped; 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped; 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest; 120ml olive oil

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30m

1h 10m

12 buns

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by delicious. team

delicious. team

Jun 02, 2020

Now, this is a dish that will help you feed a crowd! This is an edited extract from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley (Ebury, $49.99).

530g plain flour, plus extra to dust
35g caster sugar
7g (about 1 sachet) dried yeast
3 large eggs
150g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 2cm pieces
Sunflower oil, to grease

Sumac onion filling

100ml olive oil
3 onions, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tbs sumac, plus 1 tsp extra to dust
2 tbs oregano, roughly chopped
1 tbs thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp caster sugar

Herb oil

2 tbs flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
120ml olive oil

Method

1.

Place the flour, sugar and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook. Mix on low for a minute. Whisk together eggs and 120ml of water then add to the mixer. Work on a low speed for a few seconds, then increase speed to medium. Continue to work for 2 minutes until the dough comes together. Next, add 1/2 tsp salt and start adding the butter, a few cubes at a time, until it all melts together into the dough. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes on a medium speed, until the dough is completely smooth, elastic and shiny. Place dough in a large bowl brushed with sunflower oil, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in the fridge for at least half a day or, preferably, overnight. It will increase in volume by just under 50 per cent.
2.

For the filling, place 3 tbs oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are completely soft and golden brown. Add cinnamon and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool before adding remaining 55ml of olive oil, sumac, oregano, thyme, sugar and 1 tsp salt.
3.

Grease a 20cm x 30cm baking tray and line with baking paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 55cm x 35cm. Spread the sumac onion filling all over the dough, taking it right up to the edges. With the long end facing towards you, gently roll the dough as you would a Swiss roll, using both hands to gently press as you go along. Trim about 2cm off both ends so that it becomes a perfect sausage. Cut widthways into 12 even slices, each about 4cm wide. Carefully arrange slices on the baking tray, evenly spaced apart with the cut side facing up so that the filling is showing. Cover the tray with a slightly damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place (near a stove, for example) for 1 hour 30 minutes. The rolls will rise by 20-30 per cent. About 30 minutes before the buns have finished rising, preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced.
4.

Remove the tea towel and place the tray of buns on the middle shelf of the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and return buns to the oven for about another 20 minutes or until the dough is cooked through. Remove buns from the oven and set aside to cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the herb oil in a bowl with a small pinch of salt. Once the buns have cooled, pour oil evenly over the tops, sprinkle lightly with sumac and serve.