Covrigi
Covrigi: boiled-and-baked Romanian pretzel rings with salt, poppy and sesame
Morning commuters in Bucharest buy them hot from a hole-in-the-wall covrigărie, a paper bag of rings still warm enough to fog the glass; in Buzău, the town most proud of them, people swear by the thin twisted kind. Covrigi are a lean yeast dough with no egg or milk, so they are eaten through the fasting seasons too. Each ring is dipped briefly in boiling soda water, scattered with coarse salt and seeds, then baked until shiny and chewy with a crisp crust. A common mistake is leaving them in the water bath too long, which wrinkles the surface; 20–30 seconds is plenty. Serve them on their own, with a glass of ayran-style yogurt drink or with soup. Chef's tip: shape the rings on a dry, unfloured worktop, as a little grip makes the ropes easier to roll thin and even.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Bath and topping
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix the 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water and 2 tbsp sunflower oil and bring together into a rough dough.
3 minStep 2: Knead on the worktop for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, firm and springs back when poked.
10 minStep 3: Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until about one and a half times its size.
40 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan) and line two baking trays with baking paper. Divide the dough into 12 pieces of about 65 g.
3 minStep 5: Roll each piece into a rope 45 cm long. Fold it in half, twist the two strands together and press the ends into a ring about 10 cm across.
12 minStep 6: Bring the 8 ¼ cups water to the boil in a wide pan and add the 2 tbsp bicarbonate of soda; it will foam up, so add it slowly. Lower the heat to a steady simmer.
5 minStep 7: Dip the rings, 2 or 3 at a time, for 20–30 seconds until they float and the surface looks slightly gelled. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto the trays.
6 minStep 8: While still wet, sprinkle with 2 tsp coarse sea salt and either 2 tbsp poppy seeds or 2 tbsp sesame seeds, pressing lightly so the seeds stick.
3 minStep 9: Bake for 15–18 minutes, until deep golden brown and glossy and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before eating.
18 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does covrigi take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 70 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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