Turkish Spinach Pide - Crispy Boat-Shaped Flatbread

Ingredients

• 500 g bread flour
• 300 ml warm water
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 800 g fresh spinach
• 2 piece onion
• 200 g feta cheese
• 150 g mozzarella cheese
• 3 clove garlic
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 piece egg

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast

   Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 5-8 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly on top. The water should be lukewarm, not hot. Do not proceed if the yeast doesn't foam as this indicates inactive yeast.

2. Make the dough

   Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the foamy yeast mixture and 2 tbsp olive oil. Mix and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable. Do not add too much flour as this will make the bread tough.

3. First rise

   Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size. The dough should spring back when gently pressed with a finger. Do not let it over-rise or the bread will be dense.

4. Prepare spinach filling

   Finely chop onions and garlic. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic as it will become bitter.

5. Cook the spinach

   Wash and roughly chop fresh spinach. Add spinach to the pan with onions over medium-high heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until spinach wilts completely and liquid evaporates. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Do not overcook or the spinach will become mushy.

6. Cool and add cheese

   Remove spinach mixture from heat and let cool for 10 minutes until warm to touch. Crumble feta cheese and grate mozzarella, then mix into the cooled spinach until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. Do not add cheese while hot or it will melt completely.

7. Shape the pide

   Preheat oven to 220°C. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an oval about 25cm long. Place filling down the center, leaving 3cm borders. Fold edges up and pinch ends to create boat shapes. Do not overfill or the filling will spill out during baking.

8. Final preparation

   Beat egg and brush over the dough edges for golden color. Place pide on lined baking sheets with space between each one. Let rest for 10 minutes before baking. The edges should look glossy from the egg wash. Do not skip this step or the crust won't be golden.

9. Bake the pide

   Bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges are golden brown and crispy. The bottom should sound hollow when tapped. The filling should be hot and bubbly. Do not overbake or the edges will become too hard to eat comfortably.

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