| Prep: 1 hr 30 mins | Cook: 20 mins | Difficulty: Moderate | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 352 | 6g | 1g | 66g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 1g | 3g | 10g | 0.38g |
About Pide
Hailing from the vibrant culinary landscape of Turkey, the Pide bread is a staple that is almost synonymous with the region’s gastronomic culture. Rolling out the iconic Pide bread (pronounced as ‘pee-deh’), assumes a charm of its own – its dough needing just the typical everyday kitchen staples, and the process being an ode to time-honoured culinary traditions.
The Pide: An Ode to Turkish Gastronomy
With an origin dating back to the Ottoman Empire, Pide is not just a bread, but a significant fragment of Turkish culture – its food, history, and identity. Made with unbleached all-purpose flour, dry yeast, granulated sugar, water, salt and olive oil, Pide’s signature feature is its unique boat shape, often topped with black sesame seeds or nigella seeds rendering a crunch. The exact recipe and preparation method may vary across regions and families, each promising a unique, authentic flavour profile.
An interesting aspect of Pide is that it can be served plain as a side bread, or be filled with an array of ingredients, ranging from cheese and vegetables to seasoned meat. This certainly adds to the versatility of this bread, making it suitable for a light snack, a hearty meal or a delightful entree – the possibilities are essentially endless. Its texture walks the beautiful path between chewy and fluffy – a crusty exterior sheltering a soft and warm interior.
Pairing Pide
Like every good bread, Pide works magnificently as a sidekick to a plethora of dishes. Consider having it alongside your favourite stews, soups, or dips – its absorbing quality makes it perfect for sopping up delicious sauces and gravies.
Pide’s close cousins from the bread family include the Middle Eastern Pita, and Naan from the Indian subcontinent. Thus, it maintains a cordial relationship with hummus, tzatziki, kebabs and curries, making for a delectable cross-cultural amalgamation. Nevertheless, to truly appreciate Pide, pair it with traditional Turkish dishes. Drape a slice of warm Pide with Lahmacun or dip it into red lentil soup, and let your taste buds travel to the streets of Istanbul.
So next time you feel like embracing a bit of culinary adventure, let Pide come to your rescue. Unravel a dough, mould and bake it with all the love you’ve got. Sit back, relax and bite into a sumptuous piece of culture.
What You’ll Need
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1.5 cups tepid water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 egg yolk (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds or nigella seeds (for topping)
Method
Step One
Begin by activating the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the yeast with the sugar and half a cup of the tepid water. Mix well. Leave the mixture in a warm area for 10 minutes or until it becomes frothy.
Step Two
Now, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Create a small well in the center and pour the yeast mixture into it.
Step Three
At this step, add the olive oil into the well. Start mixing everything together with your hands or a spoon. Gradually pour the remaining water while mixing, until a dough starts to form.
Step Four
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
Step Five
After the dough has doubled, punch it down to release the air and divide it into portions. Roll out each portion into an oval shape using a rolling pin and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step Six
Brush the pides with egg yolk and sprinkle black sesame seeds or nigella seeds over top. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and bake the pides for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Step Seven
Once the pides are done, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack for a while before serving. Enjoy your homemade Pides!
