Kiymali Pide - Turkish Flatbread with Meat

Turkish Kiymali Pide is an authentic Turkish flatbread topped with ground lamb or beef mixed with peppers, onions, and tomatoes.

They are shaped in a long oval and traditionally cooked in a wood oven.

The good news is that my pide recipe explains how to cook this delicious Turkish flatbread at home without needing a wood oven!

Jump to:

• What is Pide?
• What Is the Difference Between Pide and Lahmacun?
• Traditional Pide Variations and Popular Toppings
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and Reheating Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Kiymali Pide - Turkish Flatbread with Meat

What is Pide?

Pide is a delicious, simple, and traditional Turkish flatbread that is a popular snack cooked in pide bakeries with roaring wood-burning ovens all over the country. 

It is very similar to Gozleme (Turkish Pancakes) and Arayes (Meat Stuffed Pita) but much fluffier and is baked in the oven instead of on a pan.

Pide is also known as a Turkish pizza and comes with various toppings/fillings.

The most popular one is the minced lamb or beef version which is called "Kiymali Pide" in Turkish.

You can add some kashar cheese or an egg to give it some extra flavor and texture!

What Is the Difference Between Pide and Lahmacun?

Pide is an oval-shaped pastry with thick, crisp edges and can be done with different fillings.
Lahmacun is a round-shaped pastry with no edge and can only be done with mince filling.
You can roll the lahmacun like a wrap, making it easier to eat while you have to slice the pide before eating.
The pide dough contains yeast while the lahmacun dough doesn't contain yeast.

Traditional Pide Variations and Popular Toppings

Kiymali Pide - Turkish Flatbread with Meat is the most popular Turkish flatbread, topped with minced meat, peppers, onions, and tomatoes.

The other pide topping options and variations are :

• Kusbasili Pide (Lamb Pide) - Finely diced lamb meat mixed with peppers, tomatoes, onions, and spices.

• Mantarli Pide (Cheese Pide with Mushrooms) - Sautéed mushrooms topped with some melty cheese such as kashar cheese or mozzarella and optionally finished with an egg.

• Peynirli Pide (Cheese Pide) - Crumbled feta cheese is usually mixed with halloumi or kashar cheese and optionally finished with an egg.

• Sucuklu Pide (Turkish Bread with Spicy Sausage) - Thinly sliced spicy sausages and kashar cheese with or without an egg.

• Pastirmali Pide (Air-Dried Beef Pide) - Thinly sliced air-dried beef and kashar cheese with or without an egg.

• Karadeniz Pidesi - Karadeniz Pidesi is a type of Turkish Pide made with a simple and delicious filling consisting of minced beef, onions, and spices.

These are the most popular and traditional toppings but you can use your imagination and top your Turkish Pide with your favorite fillings to customize it.

There is also a type of Turkish Flat Bread traditionally baked during holy month of Ramadan called Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi, which is baked plain with sesame seeds on the top.

Why This Recipe Works?

• You can easily make your homemade version of Kiymali Turkish Pide with step-by-step instructions, pictures, and a short video tutorial.

• You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

• Just like Fatayer - Homemade Lebanese Pies, Pide is versatile, you can create your own version with different toppings such as cheese, vegetables, eggs, or cured meat.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Ingredients for the Dough

• Strong white flour - It is also known as strong bread flour. It is made from hard wheat varieties and contains more gluten than other types of flour. It gives some elasticity to the dough which makes it easier to roll out.

• Yeast - Use active dry yeast or alternatively fresh yeast if you prefer. You need to double the amount if using fresh yeast.

Ingredients for Meat Topping

• Ground beef or lamb - Use beef or lamb, or a mixture of both. Try and use fatty meat, with a minimum of 15-20% fat. Lamb mince is naturally fatty but if using beef, or a mixture, make sure your beef mince isn’t lean. If you only have lean beef, add a tablespoon of olive oil to your filling to help it stick to the dough.

• Turkish green peppers - They are one of the most popular peppers used in Turkish cuisine. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. Always check the spiciness before using them and don't use any extra chili or chili flakes if you don't want overly hot Pides. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers. Simply wash them and cut them into chunks before blitzing.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes and bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.

• Parsley - Try and use fresh flatleaf parsley for the filling. Wash and finely chop the parsley leaves before adding them to the mixture. Don't blitz them in a food processor, use a sharp knife for best results.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The idea of making homemade pide might be daunting for you.

You don't need to be an expert baker to make this amazing Turkish flatbread.

If you know the basics of baking such as kneading and rolling out dough, this recipe is perfect for you!

Simply watch the video in the recipe card, check out the step-by-step pictures, and follow a few basic tips:

Prepare the Dough

Sift the flour in a bowl then add the yeast and lukewarm water.

Mix until combined and then add the salt to the bowl.

Gently mix with your fingers to form a dough, it will be sticky at that stage.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and then knead it for 4-5 minutes or until it doesn't stick to your hands anymore.

You can use a bit of extra flour if needed but not too much. It should feel soft and elastic at that stage.

Turn the dough into a ball and then return it to the bowl.

Cover with a cling film or clean kitchen cloth and then let it rise in a warm place for an hour or until it doubles the size.

Prepare the Mince Filling

Place roughly chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers, and chili in a food processor.

Gently and quickly blitz the vegetables using the pulse function of the food processor.

Try and avoid turning them into a mash as we need finely chopped vegetables, not puréed.

You can also chop by hand but it would take much longer.

Place the minced meat into a large bowl and then add finely chopped vegetables, tomato paste, chopped parsley, salt, chili flakes (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.

Combine all together using a spoon or a spatula and then keep it refrigerated until the dough has doubled up in size.

Build the Pide

Preheat the oven to 220° C - 430° F (fan oven).

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (approx 160 grams each) and then place them on a lightly floured surface.

Cover them with cling film or a damp kitchen cloth and then let them rest for another 10 minutes.

Using a rolling pin, roll out one of the dough balls into an oval shape of 15 cm x 35 cm (about 6” 13”) in size and ½ cm (0.2”) in thickness.

Spread ¼ of the ground meat filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 ½ cm border at the edges.

Fold the border over the filling and then pinch the top and bottom ends together. 

Alternatively, transfer the dough onto the baking tray after rolling it out.

Top it with the filling and shape it there. 

Repeat the same for the remaining 3 dough balls.

Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper and gently transfer 2 pides on each tray.

You can use small individual trays if you don't have a large one as I did in the video.

When the oven is hot enough, place the trays in the oven and then cook them for 20 minutes or until the filling is cooked and the pastry is lightly browned. 

Take them out of the oven and then generously brush the dough with butter.

Slice and serve when still hot.

Top Tips From the Chef

• Using good quality strong white flour is necessary to have an elastic dough that is easier to roll out. Make sure you knead the dough long enough to make it soft and elastic.

• Use lukewarm warm water when making the Pide dough. Hot water kills the yeast and cold water prevents the yeast from activating. 

• If your dough is sticky, add a little flour to it. As you knead it, make sure to coat your hands and your work surface with a light dusting of flour. Add a few teaspoons of flour at a time to get rid of the stickiness.

Serving Suggestions

Like my other homemade Turkish bread Gozleme (Turkish Pancakes), Pide is perfect to serve with a bowl of soup such as Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Lentil Soup) or Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.

But if you prefer a lighter meal, serve it with a nice bowl of salad such as Greek Cucumber Salad, Rocket and Parmesan Salad, or Indian Chickpea Salad (Chana Salad).

Kiymali Pide also pairs well with beverages like Ayran (Turkish Yogurt Drink), Turkish tea, or even a refreshing glass of lemonade.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Storage

Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature.

If you need to store the pide for a short period (1-2 days), you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator.

If you want to store Kiymali Pide for a longer period (up to a 3 months), it's best to freeze it.

Wrap the pide tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a resealable plastic bag.

Make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing.

Reheating

The best way to reheat a pide is to use a preheated oven.

Preheat the oven to 180° C (356° F) and place the leftover pide pieces wrapped with tin foil for 6 to 7 minutes, until thoroughly heated.

Alternatively, you can reheat them in a pan with the lid on, for about 5 to 6 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For other delicious & authentic Turkish recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Kiymali Pide - Turkish Flatbread with Meat as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

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