Turkish Flatbread Yufka Food

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.)

SPINACH AND THREE CHEESE GOZLEME

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the water and olive oil. Using your fingers, draw the flour in from all sides, working the mixture until it's sticky and forms into a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Transfer back to the bowl, drizzle with a little bit of oil, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
• Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three equal pieces; you should have six equal pieces, each weighing about 2 ounces.
• Roll out each yufka ball into a very thin 8- to 9-inch round, using plenty of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Stack them on top of each other with a piece of parchment paper between them and plenty of flour or lay them out slightly overlapping on a baking sheet.
• Heat an 11- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat and cook the yufka on one side until it starts to bubble up and lightly brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. You only need to partially cook each flatbread at this stage; don't get them too crispy or they will be dry and hard to work with. Stack them on top of each other as you cook each one so that they lightly steam and keep each other soft and pliable.
• If you are not using immediately, transfer the warm yufka to a large zip-top plastic bag and store at room temperature up to overnight. You can also freeze the yufka for up to 2 weeks. After thawing, reheat briefly in a skillet over medium heat before using.
• Heat the olive oil and onion in a sauté pan over medium-low heat and sweat the onion until softened, about 8 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape into a large mixing bowl and add the ricotta cheese, feta cheese, kasseri cheese, salt, parsley, mint, dill, and pepper to taste.
• When you are ready to assemble, put about 1⁄3 cup cheese filling on each yufka and smooth it to the edges in a very thin layer. Sprinkle evenly with 3⁄4 cup spinach and season lightly with salt. Fold the left side in towards the middle and then the right side towards the middle, overlapping by about 1⁄2 inch, to form a rectangle shape with an open top and bottom.
• When the gozleme are assembled, heat an 11- to 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Place two gozleme at a time, seam side down, in the pan. Cook until the filling is hot, the spinach is wilted, and the bread is lightly toasted on one side but still soft on the other, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip to the other side and cook 1 minute more to heat through. Place on a tray and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining four gozleme. Cut into halves or strips and serve immediately.

TURKISH FLATBREAD (PIDE)

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, and let stand in a warm place 10 minutes until frothy.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup of flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.
• To finish the dough, put the 3 1/2 cups of flour in a large bowl, and make a well in the center.
• Put in the yeast-and-sugar mixture, salt, olive oil, and 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water.
• Gradually work in the flour to make a soft and sticky dough.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface for 15 minutes.
• The dough will be very sticky at first, but as you knead, it will gradually cease to stick to your hands.
• You should have a damp and very springy dough that offers no resistance to kneading.
• Put the dough in a oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour, until well swollen.
• (You can refrigerate the dough at this point until you're ready to use it.) Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a log.
• Cut into 8 equal pieces, and roll each one into a tight ball.
• Place the balls on a floured surface, and let rest 30 minutes under a towel.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and if you have them, heat tiles 30-40 minutes before baking.
• Roll one ball of dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin into a circle 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick and 8 inches in diameter.
• Brush the top with olive oil.
• Bake 5 or 6 minutes, and repeat the process with the remaining dough balls.
• As the pide come out of the oven, stack them in a large pan and keep them covered until all are ready to eat.
• Remember to let the oven temperature return to 450 degrees after baking 2 or 3 pide.
• Serve the pide hot.
• They also can be reheated wrapped in foil.