Turkish Pide (Turkish Meat Pies)

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 medium spoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons yogurt (or milk)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tablespoon vinegar
• How to prepare the dough:
• In a mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir, then cover and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes.
• Add the egg, vinegar and yogurt (or milk) and whisk. Add the salt and mix. Gradually add the flour and knead until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
• Coat the dough with oil, knead briefly again, then cover and let it rise.
• Filling:
• 500 g lean ground meat with a piece of fat
• 2 onions
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/4 bunch parsley
• A little fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon sweet pepper paste (or red pepper paste)
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce/paste
• 1 hot pepper (or to taste)
• 1 medium spoon ground black pepper
• 1 medium spoon sweet red pepper powder (paprika)
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 medium spoon mild spice (sweet baharat)
• Beaten egg yolk + 2 tablespoons liquid milk + 2 drops vinegar for brushing the dough
• This wonderful Turkish pide recipe is from our friend and cook on Shou Tabkhin Al-Youm:
• سلام شعيتو
• For more of Salam's special recipes, click her name to visit her page on Shou Tabkhin Al-Youm
• For Salam's shawarma bread recipe, see: How to prepare shawarma bread
• Red pepper paste (dibs al-filfil) recipe

Method

1. Finely chop the onions, parsley, mint and pepper in a food processor; dice the tomatoes very finely.
2. Mix the ground meat with all the vegetables, pastes and spices until well combined.
3. Grease baking trays lightly with oil.
4. Divide the dough into medium-sized balls. Dust a clean surface with a little flour and roll each piece thin and round with a rolling pin, then place on the prepared trays.
5. Spread the filling over each rolled dough piece. Fold the edges to form boat-shaped pides, then brush the edges with the beaten egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons milk and 2 drops of vinegar.
6. Let the pides rest briefly, then preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F) for 10 minutes.
   Timers: 10 min
7. Bake the trays on the lower rack until the pides are cooked through, then brown the tops under the grill.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately while hot.