We made this Turkish pide recipe as a bit of a tester, not expecting too much. But it tasted so good that we made it again, snapped some pics, and wrote up the recipe so you guys could taste it at home too.

Firstly, if you’ve never been to Turkey, you might be wondering: what is pide?

What is pide?

Pide is a type of Turkish pizza, but don’t get saying this around any Turkish people. You’ll probably offend them! In their eyes, pide and pizza are in different leagues, with pide being on top, of course.

Having said that, I think it’s hard to compete with Italian pizza, but believe me, some pizzas do not even deserve to be called pizza. We ordered one in Mexico once and it was the biggest mistake of our lives.

But enough about pizzas. This pide recipe is only similar to pizza in that it’s a baked turkish flat bread with toppings.

The dough for pide is in the shape of a long boat. Typically, you’ll find these toppings: minced meat (usually lamb), tomato and/or tomato sauce, bell pepper, onion, garlic, herbs, and freshly ground black pepper.

Another common variation is pide with Turkish white cheese and egg, cheese, and herbs. The egg one is a little bit similar to the Georgian Khachapuri, a recipe we hope to have on here very soon. It’s also common to find vegetable pides.

Jump to the recipe↴

My first time with pide

After a long and strenuous hike, Matt and I were starving and ready for a delicious meal. Fortunately, we bumped into a small restaurant on the road back to Antalya. The smell of fresh bread and spices wafting through the air was irresistible.

As we walked in, we were greeted by the friendly owner who welcomed us with a smile. We saw the name “Pide” on the menu. We had no idea what it was, but it looked nice and we were eager to try it. We ordered a pide topped with juicy meats, tangy cheese, and spices.

Finally, our pide arrived, and we couldn’t help but be impressed by its appearance. The long, puffed-up bread was overflowing with toppings, the cheese was melted to perfection, and the size of it was enormous.

I took a bite and the flavours burst in my mouth. The juicy meats, tangy cheese, and spices were a perfect combination, and the crispy crust was the perfect texture.

Turkish pide was the best way to end a great hike and it gave us a memorable and delicious experience. From that day on, we sought them out at every chance we got, and finally, I decided to bake my own.

The origin of pide:

The origin of pide is the subject of two theories. According to one, it is believed to have descended from tokolak, a type of flatbread from the Ottoman Empire. Another theory suggests that it came into existence after World War 1, as women tried to use leftovers to create meals; basically anything they could use to prevent hunger during the war.

There is, however, a third theory that pide descends from pita, and dates back to 15th and 16th century Istanbul.

As with most recipes the origin is not definitively known, but one thing we can be sure about: it kills hunger and satisfies your craving. Get ready to whip up the most delicious Turkish pide you’ve ever tasted! Here’s what you’ll need😉

Pide dough ingredients:

• Bread flour or plain flour: 500 g
• Warm Water: 325 ml
• Instant yeast: 1 tbsp
•  Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Salt: 1 tbsp

Ingredients for pide topping:

• Tomato: 2
• Ground Beef or ground lamb: 200 g
• Onion: 1
• Tomato sauce: 2 tbsp
• Olive oil for frying
• Kashar Cheese (or Mozzarella cheese or Feta cheese): 300 g
• Melted Butter: 3 tbsp
• Salt and ground black pepper: 1 tsp

How to make Turkish pide

Directions:

1.In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt with a wooden spoon.

2. Gradually add the warm water, mixing until a dough forms.

3. Get your hands dirty and knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes, until it’s smooth, silky, and elastic.

4. Brush your smooth dough with olive oil, and cover it with a damp tea towel.

5. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it’s doubled in size.

6. Prepare minced meat topping: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the ground meat along with some salt and pepper. Saute it for about 3 minutes until it’s fully cooked.

7. Once the beef is cooked, add the onions, salt and pepper and cook it for about 4 minutes.

8. Add chopped tomatoes and give it a good stir and let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes.

9. For the cheese filling: shred the cheese or crumble the feta if used.

10. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).

11. On a lightly floured surface divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.

12. Roll out dough balls into a long oval shape, about 0.5 cm thick.

13. Add your desired toppings to each oval – meat or cheese – and spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1-2 cm border around the edges. Then fold the edges over to create a little boat.

14. Pop the pides on the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. It’s going to smell amazing!

15. When done, lightly brush the edges with some melted butter.

16. Serve hot and enjoy the fruits of your labour! Now you know how to make Turkish pide –in fact, you’ve become a pide-making pro!

Here are some tips on how to serve Turkish Pide:

1. As a main dish: serve pide as the centrepiece of a meal with a simple green salad and a bowl of soup.
2. As a weekend treat or party food: cut pide into smaller slices and serve as an appetiser or snack, accompanied by dips such as hummus or tzatziki. You could even eat pide with baba ganoush if you want to feel super Turkish.
3. As a sandwich: fill the centre of the pide with grilled chicken, vegetables, or your favourite sandwich fillings.
4. With eggs: serve pide for breakfast or brunch with an egg on the top and a side of sautéed vegetables. So yummy! You can dip the edges of the pide into the egg yolk and melted cheese.
5. As vegetarian pide: form a spinach filling by frying onion and garlic in a large saucepan until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped spinach, salt, black pepper, ground cumin and red pepper paste (if using). Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted and tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese.  Enjoy the delicious and nutritious combination of spinach and feta cheese in your Turkish pide!
6. With drinks: serve pide as a light bite with drinks, such as wine or even mulled wine, for a casual gathering with friends.

No matter how you choose to serve your pide, the key is to enjoy it while it’s still warm and the flavours are at their peak! You can also use Turkish pide bread for other Turkish recipes like iskender, as these delicious flatbreads are the base of the dish.

What’s for dessert?

After indulging in the savoury deliciousness of a freshly baked pide, the thought of satisfying your sweet tooth is only natural. Allow us to present to you a delectable selection of dessert recipes that are sure to tantalise your taste buds:

• Strawberry cheesecake,
• Gooey, chewy flapjacks,
• Melt-in-the-mouth chocolate chip cookies,
• Coconut macaroons,
• Or if you’re looking for a dessert from Turkish cuisine: delicious baklava.

You can also find other international recipes, easy recipes, or more Turkish recipes!

If you’d rather see content about Turkey itself, then check out the best things to do in Bodrum!