Vegetarian Turkish Pide 

Pide, which consists of oval flat breads topped with a variety of ingredients, is a “fast food” that is popular and healthful in Turkey. Pide shops, also known as Pideci, are establishments that specialise in baking these flat breads and offer them throughout the day. The dish known as pide may be prepared with a broad range of toppings, including vegetables or meats like sucuk, which is a spicy sausage from Turkey, and pastirma, which is dried and cured beef from Turkey.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE DOUGH:

• ▢1 cup warm water
• ▢2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
• ▢1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢2 ¼ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢1 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
• ▢3 tablespoons olive oil, divided + more for drizzling

FOR THE TOPPING:

• ▢2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ▢1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ▢4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms
• ▢1 large red bell pepper, de-seeded, quartered and thinly sliced
• ▢5 oz spinach leaves, washed and pat dried
• ▢¾ cup (7 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
• ▢1 teaspoon aleppo pepper
• ▢Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE EGG WASH:

• ▢1 beaten egg
• ▢1 tablespoon olive oil to brush the pide

1. In the meanwhile, preheat the oven and have the baking sheets ready: At a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit, prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
2. To cultivate the yeast: Raise the temperature of the water to between 90 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. To the touch, it should be just slightly warm, but it should not be burning hot. The instant yeast, sugar, and warm water should be mixed together in a medium-sized bowl. Before setting the mixture aside for five to eight minutes, stir it lightly with a spoon and wait for it to get foamy.
3. Mix together the flour and the salt: Put the flour and salt into a large mixing basin and whisk them together. In the centre of the bowl, create a well, and then pour in two tablespoons of olive oil along with the yeast mixture. Create a dough that is sticky and shaggy by drawing the flour in from the edges of the bowl with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula and working it into the mixture.
4. Knead the dough: After transferring the dough to a surface that has been gently dusted with flour, knead it for three to four minutes, or until you have a smooth dough. As you continue to knead the dough, it will get sticky. Pour the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the dough, and then sprinkle it with an additional two tablespoons of flour (or a little more, if it still seems wet). This will assist in shaping the dough into a smooth and soft texture.
5. As the dough rises, let it: After drizzling a little amount of olive oil into a big bowl, use your hands to combine the ingredients. To ensure that the dough is evenly coated, place it in the bowl, and then cover it with cling film or plastic wrap. Allow it to sit in a warm location for one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
6. Perform the topping by: To make the topping, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and then toss in the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and sliced pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat, or until the peppers are softened, the mushrooms have shrunk, and the onions are translucent. The heat should be turned off, and the spinach, crumbled feta cheese, and aleppo pepper should be stirred in until they are well incorporated. Add some freshly ground black pepper and salt to the stew, then wait for it to cool down before serving.
7. Shape the dough: Once the dough has risen, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it for 1-2 minutes. It will compress a little bit. Create a smooth ball by shaping it. Divide the ball evenly into two pieces and roll each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough balls into 2 oval shapes of about 8 x16-inches. This takes a little patience because the dough will want to bounce back, but keep working it and it will stretch. You can use a rolling pin, or hold the oval of dough between your fingers and thumbs moving around the outside edge and let gravity stretch and pull the dough downward as you turn it.
8. Fill, fold and pinch: Place 1 oval flat bread dough on the prepared baking sheet. A border of one inch should be left around the perimeter of the flat bread after you have spread half of the filling on it. Fold the sides in toward the filling to act as a border to keep the filling intact. You still want to see the filling. Squeeze the oval dough at each end to make it pointy.
   Then place the remaining oval-shaped dough on a baking sheet and repeat.
9. Brush with egg wash and bake: In a small bowl add the egg and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Beat it together then brush the edges of both pide with this mixture. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until the pides are golden brown and crispy at the edges. Cut into slices and serve warm. As we say in Turkey, “Afiyet Olsun (may you be healthy and happy with this food).”