Description
This Pide with Spanakopita Filling is a delightful Turkish-inspired savory bread featuring a soft, yeasted dough filled with a flavorful mixture of spinach, feta cheese, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs. Baked to golden perfection and brushed with egg wash for a shiny crust, these pide boats make a perfect appetizer or light meal served warm alongside yogurt or a fresh salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 packet (7g) dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Spanakopita Filling
- 400g fresh spinach, chopped
- 200g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, chopped
- Black pepper to taste
Finishing
- 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the pide.
- Prepare Dough: In a bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and dry yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until the mixture is frothy, indicating that the yeast is activated. Then add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Knead well into a soft, elastic dough. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
- Make Filling: While the dough is rising, heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the finely chopped onion until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and chopped spinach, cooking until the spinach wilts and most of the moisture evaporates. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Then, stir in crumbled feta cheese, fresh dill or parsley, and season with black pepper to taste.
- Shape Pide: Once the dough has risen, divide it into 4 equal parts. Roll each piece into an oval shape about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Spoon the spinach and feta filling down the center of each oval. Fold the sides inward over the filling and pinch the ends to form a boat or canoe shape, leaving the filling visible in the middle.
- Brush with Egg: Transfer the shaped pide to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the exposed dough edges with the beaten egg to give the crust a glossy, golden finish once baked.
- Bake: Bake the pide in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown and crisp.
- Serve: Allow the pide to cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm with a side of yogurt or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- Make sure the water used for activating yeast is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- Sautéing the spinach filling thoroughly helps reduce moisture, ensuring the dough does not get soggy.
- You can substitute dill with parsley or a mix of fresh herbs based on preference.
- For a richer crust, you can brush with additional olive oil after baking if desired.
- Leftover pide can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven.
