Gozleme

Gözleme (Turkish Stuffed Flatbread)

Gözleme is a hand-rolled Turkish flatbread made from a simple dough of flour, water, and salt, filled with savory ingredients like white cheese, spinach, potato, or minced meat, then cooked on a griddle until golden and crisp. This recipe includes options for three classic fillings: cheese and herb, spinach and cheese, and spiced minced meat.

Prep

40 min

Cook

30 min

Total

70 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (3¼ cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) water, lukewarm
• •1 tsp salt, for dough
• •200 g (7 oz) white cheese, such as feta or Turkish beyaz peynir, crumbled
• •100 g (3½ oz) spinach, fresh, washed and finely chopped
• •1 unit onion, small, finely chopped (for meat filling)
• •200 g (7 oz) ground beef or lamb, for meat filling
• •1 tsp paprika, for meat filling
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) black pepper, for meat filling
• •2 unit potatoes, medium, boiled and mashed (for potato filling)
• •50 g (3½ tbsp) butter, melted, for brushing
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil, for cooking
• •1 unit lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Gradually add lukewarm water and stir until a soft dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. 2 Prepare fillings (choose one or more): For cheese and herb filling, combine crumbled white cheese with chopped spinach (optional: add chopped parsley or dill). For meat filling, sauté onion in a little oil until soft, add ground meat, paprika, black pepper, and cook until browned and cooked through (internal temperature 71°C / 160°F). For potato filling, mash boiled potatoes with salt and pepper.
3. 3 Divide dough into 4 equal balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a very thin circle, about 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter.
4. 4 Place filling on one half of the circle, leaving a 1 cm border. Fold the other half over to enclose, pressing edges firmly to seal. Alternatively, spread filling over the entire circle and fold in half, then fold again into a quarter circle.
5. 5 Heat a large griddle or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Brush with a little oil or butter. Cook each gözleme for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown spots appear and the dough is cooked through. Brush with melted butter after flipping.
6. 6 Cut into wedges and serve hot with lemon wedges.