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!

Turkish Meal

Today I am presenting some of the popular dishes from Turkey that I put together as a meal. My family enjoyed this meal thoroughly. The Pida was without doubt the most favored by my daughter while my husband loved the bulgur pilaf.

I found so many wholesome vegetarian recipes from Turkey it was hard to pick and choose. I chose the bulgur pilav instead of rice as we all like bulgur in our house. I had white beans left over and this white bean recipe seemed like a nice way to use them up. Red lentils are extremely flavorful and it was raining the day I cooked this meal so I made soup. I made the cacik as a Turkish variation of cucumber salad. I decided to keep the dessert simple and chose a rice pudding. This Turkish style pudding is a lot thicker than any rice pudding I have had and I flavored it with Mastic, the Mediterranean edible gum. But the star of the meal was the Turkish pida. I decided on the pida as I wanted to add a yeast bread to the mix. I converted the recipe to use my homemade wild yeast starter. Spinach, feta and onions on overnight fermented dough. Those didn't last long.

As it turned out red pepper paste and tomato paste seemed to be the common ingredient in all the dishes that I chose except the cucumber salad. I did not have any red pepper paste so I made my own. I used red bell pepper as I could not find red banana pepper. The authentic recipe calls for the pepper to be cooked in water, peeled, de-seeded and then the pulp cooked to a paste. I roasted the pepper and covered it in aluminium foil for 15 minutes. The skin peeled right off the pepper. I then removed the seeds, cut it into pieces and ran it through the blender. As for tomato paste I had a can of organic tomato paste but it smelled of citric acid so I pureed a handful of cherry tomatoes and used that where ever tomato paste was called for. The fact that the tomatoes in the paste were not cooked did not make much difference to us.

The new ingredient I used in this meal is banana pepper. The bulgur pilaf recipe called for banana pepper but did not specify the color. I found a green sweet banana pepper and used that.

As they say in Turkey, afiyet olsun!

Here are the recipes for the dishes on the menu

• Ezogelin Corbasi (Red Lentil Soup) 
• Ispanakli Pide (Turkish Boat Shaped Spinach Pizza) 
• Bulgur Pilav (Pilaf) 
• Kuru Fasulye (White Beans) 
• Cacik (Cucumber Salad) 

And for dessert

• Sutlac (Turkish Rice Pudding)

Ispanakli Pide (Turkish Spinach Pizza)

Turkish pida is a boat shaped bread very similar to Italian pizza. It is made with dough that is leavened with yeast. The recipe I liked used commercial yeast. To enhance the flavor of the dough I converted it to use my homemade wild yeast starter. The pide did not disappoint. Spinach, feta and caramelized onion on slow fermented dough was delicious.

I found fresh baby spinach leaves in a bunch at Whole Foods. I used Whole Foods brand feta cheese and King Arthur flour. To make the red pepper paste, roast a red bell pepper, cover in aluminum foil for 15 minutes, peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Puree the pulp without adding any water.

Recipe adapted from here

You will need
For the dough for 4 pide
90 gm water
115 gm starter (80% hydration)
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
125 gm whole wheat white flour
100 gm all purpose flour
1 tsp salt

For the topping
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup feta cheese
2 tbsp. red pepper paste
salt to taste

To make the dough mix the water with the starter. Add the sugar and olive oil. Sift in the flours and salt. Mix just enough to form a ball of dough with no visible dry flour. Let it rest for half an hour. During the next hour and a half fold the dough every half hour. Folding is a technique where you pull the dough on the bottom with wet hands and place it over the top. Turn 90 degrees and repeat until you have gone all round the bowl. Cover and let it rest for an additional 3 hours.

The dough should have risen considerably. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into 4 portions (I made a double batch). Shape each portion into a round ball and place on a floured baking sheet. Cover the sheet and place in the refrigerator to proof overnight.

The next day prepare the topping. Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion. When it is tender and translucent add the garlic and saute for a couple minutes. Turn off heat. Julienne the spinach and add it to the cooled onion mixture along with the crumbled feta cheese and red pepper paste. Season with salt and keep aside.

Preheat the oven to 475 F. Place a parchment paper in a baking sheet and keep aside. Place a couple portions of dough from the refrigerator on a floured work surface. There will not be much difference in the size overnight. Roll each portion into an oval using a rolling pin.

Place a fourth of the prepared topping on the rolled portion of dough.

Now fold in the edges long the long sides. Squeeze the edges together at the end and twist to seal.

Bake on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes.

Cool for a few minutes on a cooling rack.

The pide tastes great when it is hot but it also tastes really good when cold.

Kuru Fasulye (White Bean Stew)

Bean stews make great side dishes when served with rice, poli or bread. This one is made with white beans. It has the classic flavors of the red pepper paste along with the tomato paste. The combination makes a very flavorful gravy.

This dish would work very well with rice or roti all by itself.

Recipe adapted from here

You will need
1 cup dry or 1 can white beans (I used great northern beans)
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 tbsp. butter (salted or unsalted)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red pepper paste
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. red chili pepper flakes (I used paprika)
salt to taste

If using dry beans soak in water overnight and pressure cook for 10 minutes the next day. I used canned beans. If using canned drain out all the juice and use the beans.

Heat oil and butter in a pan. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent. Add the red pepper, tomato paste and the beans. Cook until combined.

Add 1/2 a cup of water and bring to a boil.

Let it simmer on medium low for 15 minutes.

Turn off heat.

Cacik (Turkish Cucumber Salad)

This is the Turkish version of the cucumber salad flavored with dill. The eastern countries use cilantro, as you move west they use mint and further west all the way into Europe they use dill. The salad is a great side irrespective of how it is flavored.

Recipe adapted from here

You will need
1/2 cucumber, diced fine
1 clove garlic, minced (I left it out)
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup water
salt to taste
dill to garnish

Whisk together the yogurt and the water to form a creamy liquid. Add in the cucumber and salt to taste. Serve with rice or pilaf.

Bulgur Pilav (Pilaf)

I love the taste of bulgur and this pilav is no exception. It is flavored with red pepper paste and banana pepper along with other known flavoring ingredients. The pilav has a lovely taste and this is one of the more flavorful dishes I have made.

I made this dish as part of a Turkish meal. It was supposed to be a side dish in a meal dominated by Turkish pizza or pida. But the flavor of this dish won us over. It could easily work as a weekday lunch all by itself.

Recipe adapted from here

You will need
1 cup coarse bulgur
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red onion
1 green bell pepper
1 banana pepper
2 tbsp. red pepper paste
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 medium tomatoes
1 tsp. paprika (adjust to taste)
1 tsp. black pepper
2-3 mint leaves
salt to taste
1 1/2 cup water

Wash the bulgur, drain the water and keep aside. Dice the onion, green bell pepper and banana pepper separately. Chop the tomatoes. Julienne the mint leaves.

Heat oil in a pan and add the onion. When tender add the red pepper paste and tomato paste. Saute for a couple of minutes and add the tomatoes. When they are cooked through add the green bell pepper, banana pepper, black pepper, paprika, mint leaves, bulgur and water. Add salt to taste and adjust seasoning with paprika and black pepper.

Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and let it cook for about 15 minutes or until the bulgur is completely cooked through. At this stage all the water should be absorbed. Turn off heat. Cover with a kitchen towel and place lid over the towel. Leave it aside for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Sutlac (Turkish Rice Pudding)

Rice pudding or what we call kheer is a pretty simple and quick dessert. What I found interesting about this one is the addition of cornstarch to thicken it. It sets beautifully when refrigerated overnight, thick enough to decorate with nuts and cinnamon over the top.

It is a rich dessert with the use of whole milk or cream so I decided to make it in a very small quantity. My newly acquired glazed earthen pot worked perfectly.

Recipe adapted from here

You will need
1/4 cup rice
1 cup water
3 cups whole milk or cream or use half of each
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp. mastic (edible gum)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder for garnish
chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

In a pan cook the rice with the water. The rice should be soft and moist. Keep aside.
In another pan bring milk to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Add sugar and honey, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.

When the sugar dissolves completely add the rice and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove a fourth of a cup of milk in a small bowl and combine with the corn starch. Add the mixture to the pan and whisk to prevent lumps. Add the mastic. Continue to thicken the pudding for another 20-25 minutes whisking frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Turn off heat and cool completely. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Serve sprinkled with cinnamon and chopped nuts.

Cheesy Potato Sourdough Gozleme

Gozleme or the pastry with brown eyes is a delicious Turkish dish. It can be stuffed with a sweet or savory filling. Today I made it with cheesy potato. This recipe is very similar to paratha. The difference being the paratha is rolled out after it is stuffed. Gozleme is rolled out first and then wrapped around the filling.

The thought of using potato and cheddar cheese was really last minute. I was going to make a spinach filling with feta cheese. It would have been authentic for sure. But at the last minute I felt like eating something cheesy so switched to a pirogi type filling instead.

Once I realized what gozleme was I pretty much made up the dough and filling recipes. I knew what consistency and texture of dough I was looking for and pretty much added a little of this and that until I had what I knew would work. That comes with making flat breads almost everyday and stuffed ones on a regular basis. The leavened dough added a little spring to the gozleme. Everyone in the family loved this recipe so this is one more variation of stuffed bread that I can add to my rotation.

Note: the dough does not have to be leavened. If you want to skip the sourdough replace it with another cup of flour.

You will need
For the dough
1 cup sourdough starter (hydration % is not important)
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used chapati flour, a low protein soft flour)
water as needed
1 tbsp. oil

For the filling
1 large potato, boiled
3 tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese (you could substitute any cheese you have on hand)
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. butter (optional)

Work in the wheat flour into the starter. Use water if needed to make a soft dough. Using oil on your fingertips knead again and keep aside for about two hours.

Mash the hot boiled potato and add the cheese. Cover and keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Let the cheese melt a little. Add the other ingredients and form a ball. Divide into 6 portions.

Divide the resting dough into 6 portions. Heat a flat griddle pan. Roll one portion of dough to at least an eighth of an inch. Place one portion of filling in the center and spread it into a rectangle.

Fold the opposite sides over the filling.

Repeat for the remaining two sides until you have a neat rectangle. Place it on the hot pan and let it cook until it has brown spots on the side.

Turn it over and cook the other side. Apply a thin layer of butter to both sides and take off heat.

Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.

Enjoy!

Ezogelin Corbasi - Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup is the Turkish version of the stone soup. It is made up of ingredients typically found in the pantry of a Turkish home. I had most of the ingredients except bulgur in my pantry. This delicious soup is flavored with red pepper paste and tomato paste.

To make the red pepper paste I used red bell pepper as I could not find red banana pepper. The authentic recipe calls for the pepper to be cooked in water, peeled, de-seeded and then the pulp cooked to a paste. I roasted the pepper and covered it in aluminum foil for 15 minutes. The skin peeled right off the pepper. I then removed the seeds, cut it into pieces and ran it through the blender. As for tomato paste I had a can of organic tomato paste but it smelled of citric acid so I pureed a handful of cherry tomatoes.

Recipe adapted from here

You will need
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup red lentils
2 tbsp. rice
8 cups water
2 tbsp. red pepper paste
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 medium tomatoes
2 tbsp. bulgur
1 tsp. paprika or cayenne powder (more if needed)
1/2 tsp. dry mint or a drop of mint extract
salt to taste

Wash the red lentils and rice. Drain and keep aside. Boil 8 cups of water in a separate pan. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until tender and translucent. Add the red pepper paste, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook for a couple minutes. Add the red lentils, rice, bulgur.

Add the water and bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the mint and paprika. Add salt to taste.

Turn of heat and serve hot.