Turkish gözleme

Telegraph

14-05-2025

I've only ever eaten gözleme (stuffed flatbread) from street stalls in Turkey and thought it might be hard to make, but the dough is a cinch (and doesn't require yeast). Hold on to the recipe and cook it to go with Mediterranean dishes. You can use all sorts of fillings (including lamb), but herbs are a must. I always serve it with tzatziki or plain yoghurt with crushed garlic.
Requires resting time.
Overview
Prep time
35 mins
Cook time
45 mins
Serves
6
Ingredients
For the filling
2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
300g potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
300g spinach leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp pul biber
400g feta, crumbled
15g dill, chopped
15g parsley, chopped
For the dough
475g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing and brushing
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Method
Step
For the filling, heat 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Add ½ finely chopped medium onion and sauté until soft but not coloured, about 5 minutes. Add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more. Place in a mixing bowl and leave to cool.
Step
Boil 300g potatoes (peeled and chopped into chunks) until tender, about 12 minutes, then drain. Roughly chop the chunks, season and add to the bowl with the onion.
Step
Add 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, along with 300g finely chopped spinach leaves, ½ tsp pul biber, 400g crumbled feta, 15g chopped dill and 15g chopped parsley. Season and set aside.
Step
For the dough, put 475g plain flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add 250ml lukewarm water, 3 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt. Pull everything together until you form a dough.
Step
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it's smooth, about 5 minutes. Put it into a bowl, drizzle with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil, and turn the dough over in it. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Step
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each one into a circle about 25cm across. Spread some filling on one half of each circle, leaving a 2-2½cm rim around the edge. Wet the rim with water and fold the other half of the circle over the top. Press the edges together to seal. Lightly flatten to get rid of excess air and put under a clean tea towel.
Step
Heat a frying pan – or 2, if you have them – until smoking. Keep the heat high as you cook the gözleme, and flip each one over time and again until they're golden and charred in patches on both sides, about 3 minutes in total. When they're cooked, brush each side with olive oil.
Step
Put the cooked gözleme in the oven on a low heat until you've finished all of them. Cut them into 2-3 wedges to serve.