Authentic Kubaneh is characterized by an intense buttery aroma and a consistency that is somewhere between bread and a croissant. To achieve this result, it is important to put the dough through several stages of butter spreading and rolling.
When rolling and folding the dough, work on a well-greased surface and grease your hands with butter – this is the key to achieving the paper-thin layers that will pull apart.
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water and let activate for 5-10 minutes.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour and salt. Add the activated yeast and oil. Knead for 8-10 minutes until you get a smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky dough.
Grease the dough with oil, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in volume.
Liberally grease a tall round pan (springform pan, Dutch oven, or special Kubaneh pot) with butter.
Divide the risen dough into 8-10 equal pieces and shape into balls. Let them rest for 10 minutes.
Grease your work surface and hands with butter. Stretch each ball into the thinnest, almost transparent rectangle or square possible (it’s okay if it tears a bit).
Spread the entire thin sheet with a thin layer of softened butter. Roll the sheet lengthwise into a thin log, and then coil the log into a spiral ('snail' shape).
Arrange the spirals closely together in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with nigella seeds (if using).
Cover with foil or a damp cloth and let rise for 30-45 minutes until the Kubaneh has puffed up.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F). Bake covered (with a lid or aluminum foil) for 30 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 160 °C (320 °F), remove the lid, and bake for another 15-25 minutes until the surface is deep golden brown.
For a traditional, even more tender texture, bake the Kubaneh after the initial 30-minute bake at a temperature of 90 °C (194 °F) to 110 °C (230 °F) for 8-10 hours. The bread should achieve a dark, caramelized color and a melting, pull-apart structure.