Pide Recipes

TURKISH PIDE - THE "SECRET" TO MAKING THE PERFECT TURKISH BREAD

Steps:

• Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt then add the oil and warm water.
• Use your hands to combine the dough and kneed the mixture to for five minutes to activate the gluten.
• When you have a soft shine dough cover the bowl with a tea towel and place the bowl in a warm spot. A good place is near a sunlit window.
• After an hour the dough should be ready for use. Check that it has increased in size. If not place it in a warmer environment and leave it a little longer.
• Add the mince meat, onion and garlic to a frying pan, I don't use oil because I find there is enough in the meat.
• Fry off these ingredients. The mixture will look quite wet for a while but as you continue to fry the it will eventually be cooked off.
• When the moisture starts to reduce add the diced capsicum and spices.
• continue to cook the beef filling for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
• When there is very little moisture left remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
• Add half of the chopped parsley to the pan.
• Preheat oven at 180C.
• Prepare two large baking sheets with baking paper.
• Dust the bench top with a little flour.
• Divide the dough into about 8 equal balls.
• Roll each of the balls out into a thin oval shape.
• Place each of the 8 dough basis on the baking tray.
• Add the beef filling to the dough leaving a 1 1/2 cm boarder around the outside.
• Fold the border over the filling and pinch the top and bottom ends together.
• Repeat the same steps until all the dough has the Pide filling.
• Brush each pide with the olive oil.
• Bake the Pide for about 15 - 20mins at 180C or until golden.

PIDE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the yeast and caster sugar in warm water and let stand for 15 minutes in a warm place, away from drafts.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and dig a well in the center. In the center of the well, add the egg, yogurt, oil, and yeast.
• Using the dough hook, start mixing the ingredients at low speed, while gradually incorporating the milk.
• Knead for 3 minutes, then add the salt.
• Then knead for 10 minutes at medium speed until obtaining a soft and homogeneous dough, coming off the edges of the bowl.
• Cover the dough and let it rise for an hour in a warm place, away from drafts. It should at least double in volume.
• In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Brown the onions for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and mix well. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Then add the ground meat and garlic, mashing it well with the potato masher so that no large chunks form.
• Then add the tomato, the tomato paste, and pepper concentrates.
• Season with salt, pepper and cook for 10 minutes, covered, over a medium to high heat, stirring regularly.
• If necessary at the end of cooking, remove the cover to reduce the sauce.
• In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sweat the onion for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Add the spinach, salt and pepper, and brown them over high heat, stirring regularly.
• Cook until the liquid is reduced.
• Reserve.
• Beat the egg.
• Add the melted butter and grated cheese.
• Add salt, pepper and mix well.
• Reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F (180°C).
• Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, degas and divide it into 9 pieces.
• Roll each pide to a thickness of ½ inch (1 cm) to form a boat, and place them, well spaced, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Spread the garnishes over the pides and fold the edges of each pide.
• In a bowl, beat the egg yolk and vinegar together and, using brush the edges of each pide.
• Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

RAMAZAN PIDESI

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Stir together the warm milk, 1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F) and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the sugar, yeast, salt and egg white and stir to combine. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour 1 cup at a time, ending with 1/4 cup. The dough will be sticky.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place it in a draft-free spot, such as an oven (it should be at room temperature), to rise until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Uncover the bowl and transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with about 1 tablespoon flour. Bring the edges together using a bench scraper. Flip the dough using the bench scraper so the sealed part is on the bottom, then dust the dough all over with just a little flour and shape it into a ball.
• Cut the dough in half using the bench scraper and shape each half into a small ball. Place each ball on a prepared baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze. Mix the egg yolk, yogurt and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
• After 20 minutes, uncover the dough and gently press one half down a bit with your fingers. Pour half the glaze onto the center of the dough and, using your fingers, spread the dough into an oval shape 1/2-inch thick. Using your fingers again, make indentations in a full circle 1 inch from the edge of the dough. Then make indentations inside the circle across the dough in lines 1 inch apart; repeat the process in the opposite direction to create a diamond pattern. Top with half the sesame seeds and nigella seeds. Repeat with the second ball of the dough.
• Bake until golden on top and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with a kitchen towel for 10 minutes before serving.

SUMAC-SPICED LAMB PIDES

Steps:

• First make the dough. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, olive oil, a pinch of salt and 300ml warm water. Bring together with your hands or in a tabletop mixer, then knead for 10 mins by hand or 5 mins in a mixer, until soft and elastic. Put the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with a sheet of oiled cling film and leave to rise for 2 hrs or until doubled in size. You can also pop the dough in the fridge and leave to rise overnight. (Take out of the fridge and leave for 1-2 hrs to bring back to room temperature to use.)
• For the topping. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add onion and cook for a few mins until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 min more. Add the lamb, increase the heat and fry until starting to brown, about 8 mins. Sprinkle in spices and stir for 1 min, then add purée, tomatoes, pomegranate molasses and seasoning, along with 50ml water. Simmer for 10 mins, stirring now and then - the mince should be sticky rather than saucy. Leave to cool.
• Dust 2 large baking sheets and the work surface with semolina. Knock any air bubbles out of the dough, then tip onto work surface and divide into 4. Working with 1 piece at a time - keeping remaining dough covered with the oiled cling film - roll into a thin oval shape, roughly 30cm long. Place the rolled dough on baking sheets. Divide mince mixture between the 4 pides, leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Roll the edges over the filling and pinch the ends together to form a pointy boat shape. Cover with the oiled cling film and leave to prove for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Uncover pides and brush the edges with a little oil. Sprinkle the feta, sesame seeds and a good pinch of sumac over each pide and bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden. Serve with salad and pickled Turkish chillies, if you like.

PIDE WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine the flour and sugar with ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Dissolve the yeast in 175 ml (¾ cup/6 oz.) water. Make a well in the flour and mix in the yeast. Knead for 5 minutes into a dough, cover with a damp dish towel and rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, roll into balls and rest, covered, for a further 15 minutes.
• Crumble the cheese into a bowl. Finely chop the spring onions (scallions), parsley, and dill and add to the bowl with all of the other filling ingredients. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt and gently combine by hand. Divide the filling into 4 equal parts.
• Preheat oven to 475°F. Flour your hands and flatten the dough. Stretch each disc into a 4 by 10-inch rectangle. Spread the filling equally among the rectangles. Fold ¾ inch of dough in all around and join the corners of the short sides together.
• Put the flatbreads on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 9-10 minutes, making sure they are evenly baked. Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, cut into 1½-inch strips and serve.

SPINACH & CHEESE PIDE

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp sea salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Stir in 80ml water and the oil to bring everything together into a firm, smooth dough (you may need to add a little more water). Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to prove until it has doubled in size, about 1 hr.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for about 5 mins until translucent. Add the cumin and spinach, and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted and any liquid has evaporated - this will take about 5 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• When the dough has risen, heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into four. Roll each piece into a ball, then each ball out into a rough oval, around 3-4mm thick. Transfer the dough ovals to a roughly 30 x 20cm non-stick baking tray.
• Spoon the cooled spinach filling into the centre of each dough oval, leaving a 2cm border around the edge. Sprinkle the goat's cheese and dill over the filling. Carefully fold the sides of the dough in by about 1cm so they slightly overlap the filling, and bring the ends together to form a point. The ends may need to be slightly twisted and pressed down to fix them in place.
• When all four pide are assembled, brush the dough with beaten egg. Bake for 10-15 mins until the dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm (any leftovers can also be eaten cold).