Peynirli Poğaça (Soft Turkish Cheese Pastries)
In short: Tender yeasted rolls filled with salty white cheese and parsley, brushed with egg yolk and baked golden for breakfast, tea time and picnics. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Poğaça are the soft savory pastries sold in every Turkish bakery, often still warm in the morning. This version is a tender yeasted dough made with yogurt and a little oil, wrapped around salty white cheese and parsley and brushed with egg yolk. They go into school lunch boxes, onto picnic blankets and next to the afternoon tea. Cheese is the classic filling, but olives and potato are common too.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the milk, yogurt, oil and egg and knead for 8 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and let rise for 1 hour, until doubled.
- Mix the cheese and parsley in a bowl. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line two baking trays.
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces of about 55 g (2 oz). Flatten each into a disc about 8 cm (3 inches) wide, put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the center and pinch the edges together to seal.
- Place the pastries seam side down on the trays, about 3 cm (1 inch) apart, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Brush the tops with the egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until deep golden. Cool slightly and serve warm.
Tips
- For an extra-soft crust, brush the warm pastries with a little melted butter as they come out of the oven.
- Other common fillings are olives with dried mint, mashed potato with spring onion, and spiced minced meat. Keep fillings fairly dry.
Questions and answers
How do I keep poğaça soft?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm them for 5 minutes in a 160°C (325°F) oven before serving.
Can I freeze poğaça?
Yes. Freeze baked and cooled pastries in a bag for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen at 170°C (340°F) for about 10 minutes.
What is nigella seed?
A small black seed called çörek otu in Turkish, with a mild onion and pepper taste, sprinkled on many pastries. Sesame seeds are a fine substitute.
How long does it take to make Peynirli Poğaça (Soft Turkish Cheese Pastries)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Peynirli Poğaça (Soft Turkish Cheese Pastries)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 12 g of protein, 50 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
