Turkish Spicy Meat Filled Flatbread Recipes

TURKISH STUFFED FLATBREAD (GOZLEME)

Steps:

• Place lukewarm water, shortening, salt, sugar, bread flour, and yeast in a bread machine in the order listed. Run Dough cycle. Remove dough from the machine at the kneading, 20 minutes.
• Divide dough into 5 pieces and roll them into balls. Place on a floured surface, cover with a slightly damp cloth, and leave to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt oil and butter for filling in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and garlic and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Roll dough circles into flat rounds, 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Fill one half each circle with spinach mixture, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, then fold the other half over and seal the edges.
• Preheat a griddle or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush one side of each gozleme with oil and place on the hot pan; cook until base is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Brush top side with olive oil, turn, and cook until golden, another 2 to 3 minutes.

TURKISH SPICY MEAT-FILLED FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Prepare a hot fire (475°F) in a wood-fired oven.
• To make the dough, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and combine using your hands or a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture plus the remaining water. Knead for 5 minutes using a dough hook or by hand on a floured board (adding flour if needed when kneading by hand) until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat it with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, until doubled in size.
• To make the filling, toss the olive oil, onion, and eggplant together and sprinkle with salt. Spread on a baking sheet. Place on the floor of the oven and cook until the eggplant is soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a small cast-iron skillet in the oven, sauté the lamb in a small amount of olive oil and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Discard any fat. Remove from the heat and stir in the pomegranate molasses, tomato, spices, and pine nuts. Add lemon juice to taste.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces on a floured board and roll into balls. Flatten each ball into a 5-inch disk. Stretch the dough into a thin disk about 6 inches across. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place one-fourth of the meat filling in the center of each disk and spread to about 1 1/2 inches from the edge. In 4 to 5 increments, fold the dough up toward the center to contain the filling. Lightly brush with olive oil and lightly dust with salt.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until beautifully golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot.

TURKISH FLATBREAD (YUFKA)

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Use your hand to make a well in the center; pour in water and olive oil. Mix until dough forms, adding more flour if necessary, about 3 minutes. The dough will be extremely sticky and shaggy. Transfer to a clean bowl, drizzle with a little bit of oil, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator).
• When the dough has rested, it will look smooth and be very soft. Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three equal pieces. Roll the first ball into a very thin 8- or 9-inch round, using more flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over low heat until hot. Cook the first flatbread on one side until it starts to bubble up and lightly brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side, about 30 seconds; the bread should stay soft and pliable. Set finished flatbread aside.
• Wiping out excess flour in the pan as you go, continue rolling and cooking until you have a stack of warm yufka. Serve immediately with hummus, baba ghanoush, or another dip. (Alternatively, use flatbreads for Chef Sortun's Red Lentil Wraps.) (Note: After completely cooling, flatbread can be stored in a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, wrap in aluminum foil and place in a 250 degrees F oven for 8-10 minutes, or wrap in a damp towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds.)