Name: Pide with Ground Meat and Cheese
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 400 g plain flour; 7 g dried yeast; 1 teaspoon caster sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 220 ml water; 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt; 300 g ground beef; 1 pc onion; 2 pcs tomatoes; 1 pc green bell pepper; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons parsley; 0.5 teaspoon hot paprika; 1 pc egg; 30 g butter; 1 tablespoon sesame seeds; 1 teaspoon nigella seeds

Step by step process

For the Dough

1
Dissolve the dried yeast and sugar in lukewarm water and let activate for 5 minutes, until foam appears on the surface.
TIP:
Dissolve dry yeast in lukewarm water (35-40 °C) with sugar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Foam and a sour smell indicate active yeast. The water must not be too hot (yeast will die) or too cold (activation will slow down).
2
In a bowl, combine the flour with the salt, make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and Greek yogurt. Gradually knead into a smooth and elastic dough that does not stick to your hands. Kneading takes approximately 8-10 minutes.
TIP:
Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Add flour only when it sticks. Quality dough is elastic, it doesn't tear when stretched and returns to shape when pressed.
3
Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for approximately 40 minutes, until it doubles in volume.

For the Filling

4
Peel the onion and chop finely. Dice the tomatoes into small cubes, remove the seeds from the green pepper, and chop finely as well.
5
In a bowl, combine the ground beef with the chopped onion, tomatoes, pepper, tomato paste, sweet paprika, black pepper, chili flakes if using, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands so the spices are evenly distributed throughout the filling.
6
Stir in the chopped parsley and refrigerate the filling until you are ready to shape the pide.

Shaping and Baking

7
Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
8
Divide the risen dough into 4 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into an oval approximately 25-30 cm long and 12 cm wide.
9
Spread one quarter of the meat filling evenly down the center of each oval, leaving about 2 cm of border along the sides.
10
Fold the longer edges of the dough over the filling toward the center, then pinch and twist the ends into pointed tips, pressing them together to create the classic pide boat shape.
11
Beat the egg and brush it over the edges of the dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and nigella seeds if using.
12
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is golden and the filling is cooked through. The edges should be distinctly golden and crispy.

To Serve

13
Immediately after removing from the oven, brush the edges of the pide with melted butter - this gives them a glossy finish and a delicate buttery flavor. Serve hot, cut into diagonal strips, ideally with a fresh salad or ayran.

More tips:

You can prepare the dough the evening before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight - it will develop a deeper flavor and be easier to work with.

Instead of beef, you can use a mixture of ground beef and lamb in a 1:1 ratio for a more authentic Turkish flavor.

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