Pide is Turkish flatbread pizza, boat-shaped and stuffed with spiced lamb, tomatoes, and peppers. It is street food in Turkey, and once you taste it you wonder why it’s not on every menu.
Pide is often called Turkish pizza, but I actually that comparison sells it kinda short. These boat-shaped flatbreads, filled with spiced lamb, tomatoes, and peppers, are their own thing entirely and they are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. The dough is softer and chewier than pizza dough, the fillings are more aromatic, and the whole package needs under an hour. It works. If you’ve ever had pide at a Turkish restaurant and wondered whether you could pull it off at home, the answer is yes. It’s more forgiving than you’d expect. Aleppo pepper is what gives the lamb filling its distinctive warmth: fruity and moderately spicy without being aggressive.
When you shape the boats, pinch the ends firmly so they hold their shape in the oven. Solid. The most important step happens after baking: brush the hot crust with melted butter the moment it comes out. Solid. That butter soak is what transforms the edges from merely good bread into something rich and glossy that you’ll tear off and eat first. Serve with a simple salad of tomatoes, sumac, and parsley. These are best eaten right away, while the crust is still warm and the filling is bubbling.
How to Make Turkish Pide
Cook the Lamb Filling and Season Aggressively
Cook ground lamb in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into fine crumbles, for six minutes.
Add diced onion and cook for three minutes.
Add garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, and tomato paste and cook for three more minutes until the vegetables soften.
Stir in cumin, Aleppo pepper, allspice, salt, and pepper. The filling should be deeply seasoned and aromatic.
Shape the Dough Into Boats
Divide pizza dough into four equal pieces.
Roll each into an oval about ten inches long and five inches wide.
Spread the lamb filling down the center, leaving a one-inch border.
Fold the long edges up and over the filling, pinching the ends into points to create a boat shape.
Brush the exposed dough with egg wash.
Bake Until Golden and Brush with Butter
Bake at 475 degrees for twelve to fifteen minutes until the dough is golden brown and puffed.
Immediately brush the hot pide with melted butter, which will soak into the dough and create a glossy, soft crust.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
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Turkish Lamb Pide
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Pide is Turkish flatbread pizza — boat-shaped dough stuffed with spiced lamb, tomatoes, and peppers, baked until the edges puff and the filling sizzles. It is street food in Turkey, and it is the kind of thing that once you taste it you wonder why it is not on every menu. The dough is soft and slightly chewy, and the filling is aggressively seasoned in the best possible way.
Ingredients
Units
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Instructions
- Cook the ground lamb in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into fine crumbles, about 6 minutes. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook 3 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Stir in cumin, Aleppo pepper, allspice, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 475°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into an oval about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide.
- Spread the lamb filling down the center of each oval, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the long edges up and over the filling, pinching the ends into points to create a boat shape.
- Brush the exposed dough with egg yolk wash.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the dough is golden brown and puffed. Brush with melted butter immediately out of the oven.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Aleppo pepper has a mild, fruity heat that is more complex than plain red pepper flakes. It is worth seeking out at a spice shop or online.
- Pinch the boat-shaped ends firmly or they will open up during baking and the filling will leak out.
- Brushing with melted butter straight out of the oven is what gives pide its signature glossy, soft crust.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 760
- Fat: 26
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 95
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make pide with a different protein?
Yes. Ground beef or a mixture of beef and lamb works well. You can also make cheese pide with crumbled feta and mozzarella, or spinach and feta pide for a vegetarian option.
How do I prevent the filling from leaking out?
Make sure to leave a one-inch border of dough around the filling, and pinch the pointed ends firmly to seal. If the dough tears, patch it with a small piece of extra dough.