Shor Gogal | Savory Layered Bun

Shor Gogal is a famous, savory layered bun with spiced filling made with turmeric, cumin, fennel seeds, and butter. This Azerbaijani pastry is traditional for the spring holiday Novruz. This recipe combination of spices and aromatics originates from the Baku version. Be careful with the type of cumin — it should be Jeera, tiny dark seeds available at Indian grocery stores. They have a slightly different flavor. For better results, start with whole seeds, roast, and grind them right before adding them to the stuffing. I add some flour to the roasted seeds before grinding to create volume and to make sure they grind to a powder. If you don’t care for spices or don’t have them handy, try a combination of salt, pepper, and dry herbs (e.g., parsley, dill, thyme, tarragon, wild garlic, etc.).

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a bowl, measure and combine all dry ingredients for the dough.

Step 2

Add wet ingredients to the bowl. Combine dry and wet ingredients to make crumbs. Knead the soft dough, shape into a ball, place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let ferment for an hour at room temperature (72-74F).

Step 3

Measure all ingredients.

Step 4

Heat a small frying pan over high heat until very hot. Take it off the heat, add whole seeds and roast them until they start popping.

Step 5

In a grinder, combine 1 tbsp flour, powdered turmeric and ginger, salt, roasted fennel, cumin, and black peppercorns. Grind until they are powdered. Combine with the rest of the flour in a bowl.

Step 6

Add soft butter to the flour mixture and turn it into fine crumbs.

Step 7

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each one into a square 0.2" thick. Spray the bottom layer of dough with avocado oil and evenly spread a portion of stuffing. Cover it with the second layer of dough, spray with avocado oil, spread the stuffing. Repeat to make 4 layers.

Step 8

Gently roll any air pockets that might have been trapped between the layers of dough. Roll the layered dough to make it twice the size. Divide it in half, spray half with avocado oil, spread the last portion of stuffing, and cover with the second half. Now we have 8 layers of dough.

Step 9

Roll the layered dough to make the short side twice as long.

Step 10

Cut the layered dough into 18 strips. Shape the buns as shown in the video. Cover and let them rest for an hour at room temperature. I use half-size baking sheets lined with silicone mats and plastic lids. Start to preheat the oven to 375F.

Step 11

Combine egg yolk and water to make the egg wash. Using a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of egg wash on the surface of the buns. Sprinkle the buns with nigella seeds or any other seeds (e.g., sesame seeds, cumin, etc.)

Step 12

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let rest on a cooling rack when baked. Enjoy them with hot sweet black tea. They are also great with hot poultry stock.

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