Peynirli Pide with Ezme (Pita with Cheese filling, served with Ezme salad)

In Turkey, pita (called pide) has a soft, chewy texture. The pizza-like foods called lahmacun are made with oval-shaped pieces of pide dough topped with finely chopped meat and herbs before baking. Pide also refers to another pizza-like food made of pide dough topped with different ingredients. Regional variations in the shape, baking technique, and topped materials create distinctive styles for each region. Such pides can include chicken, beef, cheese, potatoes, garlic and many other ingredients. Beside Pide with meat topping, chicken topping, Turkish sausage topping, this time I made it with cheese filling. Served it with Acılı Ezme and you can choose ayran for drink.

Serve: 8 pieces medium size

Ingredients:
PIDE bread Ingredients:
 4 cups flour, divide.
 4 tsp instant dry yeast
 1 tablespoon sugar
 1 ½ cups lukewarm water, divide.
 6 tablespoons olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
 2 teaspoon salt

Filling materials (as much as you want):
 Feta Cheese, crumbled or cut into small cubes
 white cheese, crumbled or cut into small cubes
 Cheddar cheese, roughly grated or cut into small cubes.
 about 200 gr Dill or parsley, roughly chopped

Spreads after bake:
Butter.

method:

For pide bread dough: 
Take 2 tablespoons flour (from those 4 cups portion), mixed with instant yeast and sugar, put ½ cup warm water, stir well and leave in warm place until fluffy about 30 minutes. Once it fluffy and foamy, combine remaining flour, remaining warm water, salt and olive oil. Knead until dough is smooth and not sticky on your fingers. At this stage you might be need a little warm water or flour to form smooth dough. Do it carefully. Cover with plastic stretch or kitchen towel and let stand in warm place until fluffy and double in volume. The duration depend on your room temperature-- I need about 60 minutes to make my dough doubled.
Flatten the dough to remove air, divide into 8 equal small balls.

Finishing: 

Take one part of the ball and roll with rolling pin to form long oval shape. Give stuffing: feta cheese, white cheese, grated cheddar cheese and parsley /dill. Fold each edge (length side) to the center to form such a mini boat. (see picture above). Do same procedure to remaining balls.

Rest again about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 170 ⁰ C. Bake for 25 ~ 30 minutes or until golden brown. Grease with a lot of butter while it's hot

Serve warm with Acılı Ezme .

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