Learn how to make the best airy and fluffy Turkish pide bread from scratch using this simple vegan Ramazan Pidesi recipe! It’s the perfect side dish for grilling and also tastes super delicious topped as a panini! You can also fill it with herbs, dairy-free cheese and vegetables, bake it up, toast it and freeze it.
Flatbread is one of my favorite breads, because it’s super versatile and you can pair it with almost anything! It is not only the perfect side dish for summertime barbecue parties, but can also be served with many other Mediterranean dishes. Therefore, fitting to the grilling season, here’s a simple recipe for Turkish bread or pide, so you can quickly make it yourself anytime in the future. It is wonderfully fluffy, soft and totally delicious!
What is pide?
Turkish pide bread is a large, soft flatbread similar to Italian pitta or Greek pita bread made with wheat flour and yeast. It is very versatile and makes the perfect side dish for any kind of meals. You can just sprinkle it with black cumin or sesame seeds or fill it with different fillings to make Turkish bread boats or flatbread pizza. Here in Germany, the pita bread became famous for kebab or gyros, among other things.
What is the difference between pita, pitta and pide?
These types of flatbread are quite universal, but there are some differences and different names depending on the cuisine and culture. The difference between pita, pitta and pide lies in its origin. While pita is widely used in Greece as well as in the Middle East, pitta is known in Italy and pide in Turkey.
Which flour can I use?
All-purpose, light wheat, spelt or bread flour is suitable for the bread dough, but you can also mix different types of flour. However, I do not recommend using more than 50% whole wheat flour, otherwise the bread will be too compact. Rye flour is not so good here, but 20% is ok. If you like, you can also mix grains into the dough or just sprinkle them on top as a topping.
Ingredients for Turkish Pide
For the yeast dough
- Flour: all-purpose flour, light wheat flour, spelt flour or a gluten-free flour blend works best. If you want to use whole wheat flour, please read the tips above.
- Yeast: I like to use fresh yeast as it adds more flavor to the bread, but active dry yeast works too!
- Salt: should not be missing in any bread recipe.
- Sugar: to feed the yeast.
- Soy yogurt: or any other dairy-free yogurt. This makes the flatbread more moist, but it works just fine without.
- Water & olive oil: for a smooth yeast dough.
For brushing & sprinkling
- Dairy-free milk: or cream for brushing.
- Turmeric: optional a pinch for a yellower color.
- Black cumin: and / or sesame seeds.
How to make Turkish Pide Bread from Scratch
As always, I recommend you watch the recipe video and follow these step-by-step instructions first. Then find the full recipe with exact quantities in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Make the yeast dough
First, crumble the yeast into the water and sugar. Stir well and set aside for a few minutes until the mixture begins to foam. Next, combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture, yogurt and oil and knead for about 6-10 minutes to form a smooth dough.
Step 2: Let yeast dough rise
Then form the dough into a ball, brush lightly with oil, cover airtight and let rise in a warm place for about 45-60 minutes. (After that, you can optionally put the bowl in the refrigerator overnight and continue the next day).
Step 3: Form flatbreads and let rise again
On a floured work surface, shape the risen yeast dough into two round loaves. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise again, covered, for 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 482 °F (250 °C) top/bottom heat and place an oven-proof dish on the lowest level so that you can fill it with water later when the loaves go into the oven.
Step 4: Bake the flatbreads
After resting, flatten the flatbreads a bit and brush with cream and optional turmeric. Using a pastry card or knife, press diamond-shaped indentations into the dough and sprinkle with black cumin. Place the loaves in the hot oven. Carefully fill the ovenproof baking dish with water to create steam and close the oven immediately. Turn the heat down to 428 °F (220 °C) and bake the breads for 15-20 minutes.
How to use and serve Turkish Pide Bread
Pide bread can be served as a side dish with red pepper cashew dip, hummus, guacamole, garlic sauce and many other dips and sauces aside a fresh salad and grilled foods. You can also top it or fill it with different spreads and vegetables. If you want to make a kebab, you can fill it with falafel or pulled mushrooms (vegan gyros), as well as coleslaw, tomatoes, cucumber and tzatziki or tahini sauce! There are many options here so there are no limits to your creativity when it comes to toppings.
How can I store pide bread?
In a sealable fresh-keeping box or an airtight container or freezer bag, the flatbread stays fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature. Then, before serving, simply bake the bread briefly in the oven or slice it and toast it in an toaster oven. You can also freeze pita bread and just take it out and bake it up when you need it.
This Turkish pide bread recipe is:
- Vegan
- Simple
- Fussless
- Cheap
- Soft
- Fluffy
- Delicious
- Perfect as a side dish for barbecue parties, potlucks or to make kebabs!
- Tastes like from the Turkish restaurant!
Recipe Video
If you try this easy Turkish pide bread recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a picture of your pide and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your creations! Happy baking! 🙂
Turkish Pide Bread (Ramazan Pidesi Flatbread)
Author:Ingredients
Yeast dough
- 0.8 oz (5 g) fresh yeast or 1/2 sachet dry yeast
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) water
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 ¼ cup (260 g) flour all-purpose, spelt or gluten-free flour*
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 2 tbsp (30 g) soy yogurt or other yogurt, optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Topping
- 3 tbsp dairy-free cream or milk for brushing
- pinch of turmeric optional for a yellow color
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp black cumin
Instructions
*Note: Feel free to check out the recipe video + step-by-step pictures above!
- First, add water and sugar to a small bowl. Crumble in the yeast and stir until dissolved. Then set aside for a few minutes until the mixture starts to foam.
- Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and form a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt and oil to the well and work it in with a wooden spoon. Then knead with the dough hook of a food processor or with your hands for about 6-10 minutes until a smooth dough is formed. Then shape into a ball, brush lightly with oil and let rise, covered airtight, at room temperature for about 45-60 minutes. (You can then optionally place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight and continue the next day).
- Transfer the risen yeast dough to a floured work surface and divide in half. Then shape each half into a round loaf, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let rise again, covered, for 20-30 minutes.
- Place an oven-proof baking dish or pan on the lowest rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 482 °F (250 °C).
- After the resting time, flatten the dough slightly. Combine the dairy-free cream with turmeric and brush the flatbreads with it. Using a pastry card or knife, press diamond-shaped indentations into the dough and sprinkle with sesame seeds and black cumin.
- Place the breads in the hot oven. Carefully fill the ovenproof baking dish with water to create steam and close the oven immediately. Turn the heat down to 428 °F (220 °C) and bake the breads for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve with red pepper dip, hummus or tzatziki as desired or check out more serving suggestions here. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dry yeast can be added directly to the flour mixture.
- More helpful tips and information about the recipe, including storing notes, are mentioned in the blog post above!
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