Description
A deliciously savory Turkish-inspired spinach and cheese pide featuring a homemade yeasted dough filled with sautéed spinach, fragrant cumin, crumbled goat cheese, and fresh dill. This recipe guides you through making the dough from scratch, preparing the flavorful filling, and baking the pide to golden perfection, perfect for a comforting lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 300g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 80ml water (approximate, may need a little more)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Filling
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 240g spinach
- 50g firm goat’s cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
For finishing
- 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, dried yeast, caster sugar, and sea salt. Stir well to distribute all the dry ingredients evenly. Add 80ml water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then mix until a firm and smooth dough begins to form, adding a little more water if necessary.
- Knead the dough: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place it back in the bowl, cover, and set it in a warm place to prove until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
- Prepare the filling: Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped white onion and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the cumin seeds and then add the spinach. Continue cooking for around 5 minutes until the spinach wilts and all the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool.
- Shape the dough: Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan or gas mark 7). Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into an oval shape, approximately 3-4mm thick. Place the dough ovals on a non-stick baking tray about 30 x 20cm in size.
- Assemble the pide: Spoon the cooled spinach filling into the center of each dough oval, leaving a 2cm border around the edges. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese and chopped dill evenly over the filling. Fold in the edges of the dough inward by about 1cm to slightly overlap the filling, then bring the ends together to form pointed tips, twisting and pressing slightly to secure.
- Bake: Brush the edges of each pide generously with beaten egg to achieve a golden crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the dough is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbling.
- Serve: Serve the pide warm as a delightful meal. Leftovers can be enjoyed cold or gently reheated.
Notes
- For a mild chili flavor, sprinkle some pul biber (Turkish chili flakes) over the filling before baking.
- Dill is optional and can be omitted or substituted with parsley or mint if preferred.
- The water quantity for the dough may vary slightly depending on the flour; add gradually to achieve a firm but pliable dough.
- This pide can be served as a main dish or cut into smaller pieces as a snack or appetizer.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated and can be reheated in an oven or eaten cold.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Keywords: spinach pide, Turkish pide, goat cheese pide, vegetarian pide, homemade pide, savory pide, spinach and cheese pastry
