Pide With Cheese Food

SPINACH & CHEESE PIDE

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp sea salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Stir in 80ml water and the oil to bring everything together into a firm, smooth dough (you may need to add a little more water). Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to prove until it has doubled in size, about 1 hr.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for about 5 mins until translucent. Add the cumin and spinach, and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted and any liquid has evaporated - this will take about 5 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• When the dough has risen, heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into four. Roll each piece into a ball, then each ball out into a rough oval, around 3-4mm thick. Transfer the dough ovals to a roughly 30 x 20cm non-stick baking tray.
• Spoon the cooled spinach filling into the centre of each dough oval, leaving a 2cm border around the edge. Sprinkle the goat's cheese and dill over the filling. Carefully fold the sides of the dough in by about 1cm so they slightly overlap the filling, and bring the ends together to form a point. The ends may need to be slightly twisted and pressed down to fix them in place.
• When all four pide are assembled, brush the dough with beaten egg. Bake for 10-15 mins until the dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm (any leftovers can also be eaten cold).

PIDE WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine the flour and sugar with ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Dissolve the yeast in 175 ml (¾ cup/6 oz.) water. Make a well in the flour and mix in the yeast. Knead for 5 minutes into a dough, cover with a damp dish towel and rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, roll into balls and rest, covered, for a further 15 minutes.
• Crumble the cheese into a bowl. Finely chop the spring onions (scallions), parsley, and dill and add to the bowl with all of the other filling ingredients. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt and gently combine by hand. Divide the filling into 4 equal parts.
• Preheat oven to 475°F. Flour your hands and flatten the dough. Stretch each disc into a 4 by 10-inch rectangle. Spread the filling equally among the rectangles. Fold ¾ inch of dough in all around and join the corners of the short sides together.
• Put the flatbreads on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 9-10 minutes, making sure they are evenly baked. Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, cut into 1½-inch strips and serve.

CHEESE, LEEK & POTATO PIDE

Steps:

• To make the dough, tip the flour into a bowl, stir in the sugar and 1 tsp salt. Add the yeast, then make a well in the centre and add the oil. Gradually pour in 350-360ml lukewarm water, then combine the ingredients to form a dough. Knead for 5 mins until smooth. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in the fridge overnight.
• The next day, heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Cut the green ends off the leeks - leave the white ends so they stay together when cooking. Rinse in cold water, then dry and place on a baking tray. Roast for 25 mins, turning halfway through, until the outside is fully charred. Discard the outer layer, but leave a little char for added flavour. Trim the ends, then slice into 2cm rounds. Can be made a day ahead and chilled. Leave your oven on and put in two flat baking sheets (or a pizza stone, if you have one).
• To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Pour in a third of the milk and whisk until smooth. Repeat twice with the remaining two-thirds. Turn the heat right down and cook for 15 mins, whisking occasionally, until it has the same consistency as double cream. Whisk in both cheeses - the halloumi won't melt - and add sea salt to taste. Pour the sauce into a baking tray and allow to cool completely. Can be made a day ahead and chilled.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or heavy-bottomed pan to 160C. Slice the potatoes into approx 1mm slices on a mandolin. Rinse in warm water to remove excess starch, then dry with a cloth. Fry in small batches for 3-4 mins until golden (add the slices one at a time so that they don't stick together). Transfer with a slotted spoon to a baking tray lined with kitchen paper. Season with fine salt.
• To make the pides, knock back the dough on a floured surface, roll into a long sausage shape and cut into six equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel.
• Roll out a ball of dough on the floured surface into a large oval (approx 40 x 15cm) as thick as a 50p piece - it will be very elastic but will roll out eventually. Transfer to a floured baking sheet to assemble the pide.
• Leaving a 3cm border, spread a sixth of the sauce down the centre of the pide. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and oregano, and top with leeks. Fold into a canoe shape, leaving the centre of the filling exposed. Pinch the ends to avoid unravelling when baking, and push down on the dough to ensure that it keeps its shape.
• Slide the pide onto one of the hot baking sheets. Bake for 12 mins until it has a golden, crisp exterior. Meanwhile, assemble the next one and bake on the other hot tray. Continue until all the dough is used up, setting the pides aside when they're done.
• Once they're all baked, reheat them for 2-3 mins, brush the outside with melted butter, arrange a line of potatoes down the middle and sprinkle over the crumbled cheese.

CHEESE PIDE (KASERLI PIDE)

Steps:

• add flour, and salt and water to bowl.
• add lemon juice and baking soda.
• stir until combine in a ball.
• knead for 5 or 6 minutes.
• turn onto floured surface and cut into 5 balls.
• flatten balls into oval shape.
• top balls with cheese (as much as you want) and you can put tomato sauce under the cheese if you like.
• turn edges over dough about half an inch.
• fry one at a time in a pan until bottem is cooked.
• transfer to oven in an oven pan and broil until top is golden and cheese is bubbling.

SPINACH AND CHEESE TURKISH PIDES

Steps:

• Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat,add garlic and spinach. Cook,stirring for 30 - 60 seconds until spinach just wilts.
• Transfer to bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
• Add the scallions, ricotta, feta, pine nuts and breadcrumbs to the spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 200°C Lightly grease two large baking trays.
• Cut pizza dough into four. Roll out to a 25cm oval shape.
• Spoon filling onto centre of each oval, fold in sides and twist ends (don't totally enclose the filling - the shape should look sort of like boats).
• Place onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Spray lightly with oil.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden.
• Serve with lemon wedges.