Cooking with Toti
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Bulgarian Einkorn Pull-Apart Bread
Soft, fluffy einkorn bread baked as individual pieces that pull apart — best warm with yogurt and sirene.
Serves
12
Time
3 hr
Soft, fluffy, and slightly rustic, this homemade Bulgarian-style einkorn bread is made with fresh yeast and baked as individual pieces that pull apart beautifully. Einkorn flour behaves differently from regular white flour, so the dough will be softer and a little stickier — the key is to add the flour gradually and work by feel. In Bulgaria we love eating warm homemade bread with plain yogurt and Bulgarian feta cheese (sirene). It makes the simplest, most comforting meal.
Instructions
Activate the yeast
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm milk, fresh yeast, honey, and 2 tbsp olive oil.
- 2
Stir gently and let it sit until the yeast becomes foamy and active.
Make the dough
- 1
Add the egg whites and salt to the activated yeast mixture.
- 2
Begin adding the einkorn flour gradually — do not add it all at once.
- 3
Mix until a soft dough forms. It will be softer and stickier than a traditional bread dough, and that’s completely normal.
- 4
Depending on the brand you may need around 7–9 cups, but use that only as a guide — add just enough to form a soft dough.
- 5
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled in size.
Shape the bread
- 1
After the first rise the dough may still feel sticky. Add a little more einkorn flour, little by little, only as needed to handle it.
- 2
Don’t add too much flour — you want the dough soft so the bread bakes up fluffy.
- 3
Divide the dough into individual portions and shape each one however you like. I form loose folded or looped shapes and arrange them close together in a parchment-lined baking dish.
- 4
The shapes do not need to be perfect.
Brush, top, and bake
- 1
Mix the 2 egg yolks, 2–3 tbsp plain yogurt, and a small drizzle of olive oil.
- 2
Brush the mixture generously over the shaped bread and sprinkle plenty of sesame seeds on top.
- 3
Bake until beautifully golden brown on top and fully baked through.
- 4
Let it cool slightly before pulling the pieces apart and serving.
Toti’s Tips
- ✓Add the einkorn flour gradually — don’t pour in all 7–9 cups at once.
- ✓Einkorn dough is naturally softer and stickier than regular bread dough.
- ✓After the first rise, add a little more flour only if you need it for shaping.
- ✓Keep the dough soft — too much flour makes the bread dense.
- ✓Bake the pieces close together so they become a soft pull-apart bread.
- ✓The egg yolk, yogurt, and olive oil wash gives the top a beautiful golden finish.
- ✓Be generous with the sesame seeds.
- ✓My favorite way to serve it: warm, with plain yogurt and Bulgarian feta cheese (sirene).
More photos
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