Turkish Spinach Pogacha Bread

Ingredients

• 400 g all-purpose flour
• 200 ml warm milk
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 60 g butter
• 500 g fresh spinach
• 1 piece onion
• 3 clove garlic
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 100 g feta cheese
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 piece egg
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast

   Mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 8-10 minutes until foamy and bubbly on top. The mixture should smell yeasty and double in volume. Do not use hot milk as it will kill the yeast.

2. Make the dough

   Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and melted butter, then mix for 8-10 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky but pull away from bowl sides. Do not add too much flour or the pogacha will be dense.

3. First rise

   Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place for 60-75 minutes until doubled in size. The dough should spring back slowly when gently poked. Do not let it over-rise or it will lose structure.

4. Prepare spinach filling

   Wash and roughly chop spinach, then blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Drain thoroughly and squeeze out excess water with your hands. The spinach should be quite dry to prevent soggy pogacha. Do not skip the water removal step.

5. Cook filling mixture

   Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic or it will taste bitter.

6. Combine filling ingredients

   Add squeezed spinach to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in chopped dill, crumbled feta, and black pepper. The mixture should hold together when pressed. Do not oversalt as feta is already salty.

7. Shape the pogacha

   Punch down risen dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a 12cm circle on a lightly floured surface. Place 2 tbsp filling in center, then gather edges and pinch tightly to seal. Do not overfill or they will burst during baking.

8. Second rise and prep

   Place sealed pogacha seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 25-30 minutes until slightly puffed. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Do not skip the egg wash or they won't brown properly.

9. Bake until golden

   Preheat oven to 180°C and bake pogacha for 18-22 minutes until golden brown on top and bottom. They should sound hollow when tapped and internal temperature should reach 85°C. Do not open oven door during first 15 minutes or they may collapse.

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