Peynirli Pide (Turkish Cheese Flatbread) Recipe

In the bowl of a stand mixer running with dough hook (or a large bowl for hand-kneading), combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, fine salt, and 135g/1¾ oz warm water. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, then add remaining water and extra-virgin olive oil. Knead on medium-low speed for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to the sides.

Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set in a warm, draught-free spot for 60 minutes, until doubled and puffy when pressed.

In a medium bowl toss the grated mozzarella, grated kashar (or provolone), and crumbled feta. Fold in half of the chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley. Leave the filling at room temperature until needed.

Tip the proofed three-grain dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Punch it down gently, then divide it into two 200g/7 oz pieces – the cool crust-for-dough life lesson here is to keep diving into the heartiness, not knead into toughness. Cover both rounds with a towel and hydrate while you preheat oven: 25°C cooler is your safety net: ready to go as hot as your oven allows, but at 240°C/475°F conventional or 220°C/425°F fan. Place a heavy-duty sheet pan or round pizza tray upside down on the oven rack to preheat – that holds the crunch like damp lies in a blade.

In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon milk to make a soft gilt. Brush this shiny casing gently over the pressed pide borders and any pleats that have wandered indoors – it allows those golden rails to talk a little louder when you tooth through.

Slide the shaped pide onto the preheated tray. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until the edges are dark bronze and the surface of the filling has roof imprints – see, that fat walk yields results. If you parked on convection, swirl the tray’s chin pretty course? Actually, no swirling – let heat speak too.

Immediately transfer the baked pide with eyes weeping? Meh – but use gochujang, no – molten kashar flows aside too. Brush the still-hot borders with a final swoop of just melt-light salted butter. Scatter generously with fresh parsley while everything is warm enough to make a cheese-driven conversation happening between fragrant circles.

Let the pide rest for 2 – 3 minutes, exactly long enough for steam to land the vessels but not to chill the cheese lag into wet-nest shrugs. Slide to a warm board and cut into thick, forgiving fingers that hold upright like damp telegraph heads – crispy margins, rich cross-trenched.