Description
This Spinach & Cheese Pide recipe features a light and airy homemade dough filled with a savory mixture of wilted spinach, cumin-spiced onions, and crumbly goat cheese, all wrapped into traditional boat-shaped Turkish flatbreads. Finished with fresh dill and baked until golden, these pide are perfect for a comforting snack or a flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 300g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 80ml water (approximate, may need more)
- 1 tsp sea salt
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
Finishing
- 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, caster sugar, and sea salt. Stir in 80ml of water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to form a firm, smooth dough. Add a little extra water if needed. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until elastic. Place back in the bowl, cover, and let prove in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Make the filling: Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the finely chopped onion for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the cumin seeds and spinach to the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes until the spinach wilts and excess liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Shape the pide: Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) or gas mark 7. Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and divide into four equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then flatten into a rough oval shape about 3-4mm thick. Place the dough ovals on a non-stick baking tray approximately 30x20cm in size.
- Fill and shape the dough: Spoon the cooled spinach mixture into the center of each dough oval, leaving a 2cm border. Sprinkle the crumbled goat’s cheese and chopped dill evenly over the filling. Fold the sides of the dough inwards by about 1cm to slightly overlap the filling. Bring the ends of each oval together to form pointed ends, twisting and pressing them to seal the shape.
- Bake the pide: Brush the exposed dough with the beaten egg for a golden finish. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot. Serve warm. Leftovers can be enjoyed cold.
Notes
- You can omit the dill if preferred or add a sprinkle of pul biber (Turkish chili flakes) for a mild chili heat.
- Be careful not to over-hydrate the dough; add water gradually.
- Ensure spinach is well cooked and liquid evaporated to avoid soggy pide.
- Leftover pide can be stored in the fridge and eaten cold or reheated.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Keywords: spinach pide, Turkish pide, vegetarian pide, goat cheese pide, homemade bread, savory flatbread
