Pogaça from Turkey

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons warm milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or more as needed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup warm water, or more as needed
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon salted butter, or as needed
• Filling:
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• Coating:
• 2 tablespoons milk, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, or to taste

Step 1

Whisk the yeast and sugar into warm milk in a bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it gets foamy and creamy on top. In a large bowl or your stand mixer, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, the whole wheat flour, water, vegetable oil, salt, and the yeast mixture. Knead everything together with the dough hook until the dough feels soft and stretchy but not too sticky. If it’s too wet, sprinkle in a bit more flour; if it’s too dry, add a splash of warm water. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest at room temperature for around 45 to 50 minutes, so it can rise nicely.

Step 2

While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a baking tray with some butter. Next, mix the feta, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili powder in a bowl until everything is well combined.

Step 3

Once the dough has risen, give it a quick knead for a couple of minutes. Divide it into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Flatten each ball into a small circle, about 2 to 3 inches wide. Spoon some of the cheese filling into the center, then gather up the edges to enclose the filling, pinching them together to seal. Place each little bundle on the baking tray with the folded side down. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle poppy seeds over them.

Step 4

Pop the tray in the oven on the top rack and bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until the pogaças turn a lovely golden color. Let them cool a bit before digging in!