Recipe Of The Day: How To Make Turkish Poğaça

If you want to bake your own bread and buns but lack the patience to wait for it to rise, then this Turkish poğaça recipe is for you. Pronounced poe-ah-CHA, these savory breakfast buns are filled with flavorful herbed feta. Though sometimes made with yeast, in this recipe the buns puff up in the oven with the help of baking powder instead, putting them somewhere between biscuits and rolls.

Baking Tips Every Home Cook Should Know

Whether you want to make poğaça to supplement your pre-dawn Ramadan breakfast or are looking for something special to add to your classic brunch spread, these versatile stuffed pastries are sure to be a hit. And they are not nearly as hard as they may look to make. In fact, beginner's welcome.

The first thing to do is make the feta-herb filling, which is just that, feta and herbs. You can use dill or parsley or a combination of both for the ultimate springtime flavor.

From there, it's time to make the buns themselves. The simple, user-friendly dough is a mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, yogurt and butter. No mixer required — you can just use your hands. Within minutes of mixing and kneading, you should have a smooth dough that is easy to handle. All you have to do is cut it into 16 even pieces, roll each into a rough ball shape and flatten.

Put a spoonful of a feta-herb mixture in the center and pull the sides of the dough up around it until you can pinch it closed. Once they are all filled, brush with egg and sprinkle with nigella seeds and bake. In just about 20 minutes, you'll have fresh, steaming stuffed buns. These buns are light and fluffy and will stay good for about a week, making them a great grab-and-go option or one of the best recipes to make for Ramadan.

Poğaça Recipe

This recipe is by Lisa Futterman and was originally published in the Chicago Tribune.

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup feta or white cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill or flat leaf parsley, or a combination

For the dough:

• 2 cups flour, plus more if needed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks, lightly whisked with a pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons nigella seeds or sesame seeds

Directions

For the filling:

Step 1: Heat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese and 3 tablespoons herbs (roughly chopped fresh dill, flat leaf parsley or a combination). Set aside.

For the dough:

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in 2 cups plain yogurt and 1 cup melted unsalted butter until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured board; knead gently until very smooth.

Step 2: Cut dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a little ball, then flatten and make a hole in the middle. Fill with a small amount of filling. Gently pinch to close; place seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush generously with egg wash (made from 2 egg yolks, lightly whisked with a pinch of salt); sprinkle with 2 tablespoons nigella seeds or sesame seeds.

Step 3: Bake until firm and golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or allow to cool.

For more easy baking inspiration, head to The Daily Meal's YouTube channel to learn how to make pepperoni pizza pinwheels and more.

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