Turkish bread, also known as pide (pronounced “pih-dee”), is a staple of every Middle Eastern kitchen.
This flatbread can be served plain with olive oil and salt, stuffed with meat and cheese, or slathered with butter and jam.
The choice between savory and sweet varieties depends on region.
Though many have their own unique recipes, this recipe will help you make an easy version at home that’s sure to impress your guests.
The first step is to mix together the basic ingredients for your bread.
You’ll need flour, water, sugar, lemon juice, baking powder, and salt.
In Turkey, where this style of bread originated, whole wheat flour is used more often than white flour.
However, we’ve included both flours here because they’re readily available in most grocery stores across the United States.
Once you have everything mixed up, you simply let it sit until it rises about double its original size, which takes anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours depending on how warm your house is.
Once it has risen, shape it into whatever shapes you want.
We recommend using a rolling pin if you don’t have a loaf pan.
If you’d like to add topping options, such as olives, pine nuts, sesame seeds, or herbs, you can sprinkle them after shaping.
If you’d prefer not to use yeast, you can substitute 1/4 cup of sour cream instead of the liquid called for in the recipe below.
Sour cream adds moisture but doesn’t work nearly as well as yeast when it comes to rising.
As always, keep your eyes peeled while preparing the mixture so you won’t accidentally overmix.
What Is The Origin Of Turkish Bread?
Turkish bread was originally created by Armenians living in Anatolia, now located in modern-day Turkey.
Today, it is eaten throughout the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Turkey was one of the earliest countries to adopt Western culture, and Turkish bread became quite popular among European settlers who brought the recipe back with them.
Since then, Turkish bread has become iconic and synonymous with the country itself.
In recent years, however, it’s been increasingly difficult to find authentic Turkish bread outside of the Middle East.
That said, you may be able to purchase it online through sites catering to bakers around the world.
You can even order it directly via Amazon!
What Are The Traditional Ingredients In A Turkish Bread Recipe?
Although there isn’t much variation in the ingredients needed to create a typical Turkish bread recipe, each baker tends to have his own preferred ratios.
For example, some might call for less water than others.
Some might include more sugar than others.
And some might omit the lemon juice altogether.
When I asked people what the main difference between a good Turkish bread and bad Turkish bread was, they had no idea.
They just knew it tasted better.
So, if you’d like to try something new, feel free to experiment!
Just keep in mind that this type of bread is very forgiving—it’s meant to absorb flavors and spices rather than overpowering them.
How Does The Addition Of Yeast Affect The Texture Of Turkish Bread?
Adding yeast to the recipe makes the bread rise faster and gives it a fluffy appearance.
Because of this, some bakers will leave out the leavening agent entirely.
Others consider it essential.
Either way, it’ll take less time to prepare.
What Is The Ideal Baking Temperature For Turkish Bread?
As mentioned above, Turkish bread is best when it’s slightly underbaked.
Most cooks will say it tastes best when it’s still somewhat soft inside.
To achieve this effect, you’ll want to bake your bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.
Of course, if you live somewhere colder than that, you’ll probably want to increase the time accordingly.
How Long Should Turkish Bread Be Baked For?
After 15-20 minutes, the bread will start to brown.
Depending on how thick you sliced it, it should look golden brown after another 10-15 minutes.
Afterward, let it cool completely before serving.
What Are Some Common Flavorings Or Toppings For Turkish Bread?
There are plenty of different flavor choices you could add to your Turkish bread. Some favorites include garlic, onion, fresh rosemary, thyme, tarragon, oregano, cumin, parsley, chive, basil, dill, marjoram, fennel, mint, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, coriander, caraway seed, poppy seed, saffron, orange peel, raisins, currants, dates, apricots, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and almonds.
All these flavors pair particularly well with the tangy yogurt sauce that goes along with it.
How do you store Turkish bread once it’s baked?
To prevent mold from forming, cover the top of your finished bread with plastic wrap or foil.
Store it in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
Keep it refrigerated for up to three days.
How Long Does Turkish Bread Last?
Turkish bread will stay fresh for several days in an airtight container.
But as soon as it starts to get stale, it loses its crispiness and becomes stale quickly.
What Are Some Popular Ways To Serve Turkish Bread?
It’s traditionally served with a dollop of yogurt sauce, topped with feta cheese, onions, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, peppers, pickles, capers, or anything else you happen to have lying around.
Or, you can eat it straight from the bag.
Are There Any Special Tips Or Techniques For Making Turkish Bread?
Making a Turkish bread requires patience. It needs to rise twice its normal volume before being shaped.
That means waiting for it to triple in size before you begin to roll it out.
Also, since it’s usually made from a single large piece, it’s important to cut it evenly.
Otherwise, you risk having too little crust and too much filling.
Finally, it helps to use a heavy cutting board, especially if you plan to slice it thin.
A lot of times, the slicing blade gets dulled easily.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make multiple batches of Turkish bread simultaneously.
That’s enough information to get started! Hopefully, this article helped answer some questions about Turkish bread.
Now that you know more about the history behind it, you can decide whether or not it’s worth making on a regular basis.
Happy baking!
Equipment
- 1 Pan
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2¼ tsp yeast
- 4 tsp water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a big basin, combine the salt, sugar, and flour.
- The yeast should be placed in a tiny well you’ve made in the centre of the flour. Then, using your hands, combine everything after adding the water to the well. The dough should be quite wet and challenging to work with at this point.
- Wrap cling film around the mixing bowl and let it proof for approximately one hour (or until it has doubled in size).
- To prevent sticking, sprinkle enough of flour on a work surface before dumping the proved dough on it. the dough into a circle that is flat (about 2-3 cm high).
- the dough on a baking sheet that has been greased with olive oil. For an additional 45 minutes, cover the dough with a tea towel and let it proof. In the final 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 250° C / 480° F.
- Make a rough inner circle with your fingertips that is about 3 cm from the edge of the loaf before making a dent in the dough’s top. Next, draw diagonal lines that are crisscrossed in the centre of the inner circle, spacing them about 2-3 cm apart (see 2nd picture in this recipe to get the idea).
- Apply olive oil with a pastry brush to the bread’s surface. Sprinkle the bread with black and white sesame seeds, pressing them into the bread as deeply as you can to ensure that they stay there.
- Turn the oven down to 200° C/ 390° F and bake the bread for an additional 5 minutes after baking it for 8 minutes at 250° C/ 480° F. (or until golden brown).
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.