October 25: Pogaca - Turkish Bisquit with Cheese / Olive / Ground Beef, etc Filling

'Poğaça' has the tender texture of a biscuit, and is often stuffed with delectable fillings like black olives, olive paste, Feta, spiced ground beef, Turkish pastrami, a spicy Turkish sausage or mashed potato.




Prep. Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Total Time: 40 min
20-25 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1. First, prepare the filling. Crumble the Feta or goat cheese with a fork. Add about 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. 
2. In a large mixing bowl mix milk, sugar and yeast, set it aside for about 5-10 minutes. Add all the ingredients and work them together with your hands. Keep kneading the mixture and adding flour gradually until you have a smooth, firm dough about as firm as an earlobe. 
3. Take a ball of dough about the size of an apricot and press it down on your palm to flatten it. 
4. Put a small amount of your chosen filling in the center. Fold the circle in half over the filling so the edges come together and pinch them closed very gently. 
5. On a baking tray lined with grease-proof baking paper, place the 'poğaça' seam side down and tuck the ends under gently as you go. Your roll should be an oval that is wider and rounder in the center and narrower at the ends. Repeat this with all the dough balls, leaving about one inch between each roll.
6. With a pastry brush, coat the top of each roll with egg yolk. Sprinkle the sesame, poppy or black cumin seeds on top of each roll. Let it aside for about 15-30Bake in a 400°F/ 200°C oven until the rolls puff up and the tops turn a golden brown.
7. Serve the 'poğaça' while still warm with fresh fruit preserves and honey.