Turkish Mushroom Pide (Pizza)

A few months ago I tried Turkish pide (pizza) for the first time. Everyone in the family loved it. I decided to make the pide again this week and accordingly bought the feta cheese and a large tub of baby spinach. Unfortunately, I used up the spinach for something else. The sourdough was ready but I had nothing for the stuffing. There were some shitake mushrooms in the refrigerator that I had bought for a different meal. I used those with the feta cheese and roasted red bell pepper paste. No spices except some black pepper. I added basil for some additional flavor. The kitchen smelled really good so I knew it would taste good. My daughter took it as packed lunch and I got a text sometime in the afternoon letting me know that lunch was very good. In fact she has asked me to forget about the spinach recipe and make this filling again.

These pide were prepared and baked early in the morning before sunrise. The pictures were taken on a cloudy morning just after sunrise. I am a complete novice when it comes to pictures in artificial light.

You will need (for 4 pide)
Prepared Pide dough
15-20 shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion
a handful feta cheese
4 tbsp. red bell pepper paste
salt and pepper to taste

You will have to prepare the pide dough as per this recipe a day in advance. You will need 4 portions of dough. Keep refrigerated until needed.

Roast a red bell pepper on the stove top on direct heat until charred. Wrap in aluminum foil and keep aside for 15 minutes. Unwrap the pepper. Remove the skin and seeds. Chop coarsely and puree in the blender. Use as needed.

Dice the onions. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions until tender. Turn off heat and allow the onions to cool. Meanwhile clean the mushrooms by wiping the tops and bottoms with a wet paper towel. Throw away the stem. Slice the mushrooms and keep aside. In a mixing bowl combine the cooled onion, mushrooms, feta cheese and red bell pepper paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Go easy on the salt as feta cheese has a lot of salt.

Mix well but do not mash the mixture. Keep aside until needed.

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Take one ball of dough from the refrigerator and transfer to a floured work surface. Flour the rolling pin and roll out into an oval shape about 1/4 in thick. Keep aside and repeat with another ball of dough.

Place the filling in a thick layer leaving an inch on all sides.

Fold the edges in along the sides and twist together at the end.

Transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is turning brown. Repeat with the remaining two portions of dough.

Enjoy!