Turkish Pide Bread (Ramazan Pidesi)

Turkish pide bread is a traditional no knead flatbread that's fluffy and so easy to make. Fresh out of the oven, this bread is fluffy and perfect with some cheese.

You know my love for homemade bread. From traditional Persian barbari and simit to pita bread, I love having fresh bread on the table everyday. I guess that's a trait I picked up from being raised in Iran and living in Turkey. Bread is a staple of our culture and cuisine, is always respected and rarely wasted. 

Jump to:

• Turkish pide bread - Ramazan pidesi - A classic Turkish flatbread
• The ingredients
• How to make Turkish pide bread
• Serving suggestions
• How long does this bread keep?
• Can I use whole wheat flour?
• Notes and tips
• Step-by-Step Recipe

Turkish pide bread - Ramazan pidesi - A classic Turkish flatbread

There are bakeries in every corner of Istanbul. The smell of freshly baked simit and other types of bread is so mesmerizing that it's almost impossible to not walk into each and every bakery to grab a loaf of bread. Ramazan pidesi is a classic Turkish bread that's a bit similar to Persian barbari. It's common to find it through the holy month of Ramadan in Turkey. People who practice fasting during the month of Ramadan usually break their fast with this bread. 

Pide is soft and fluffy on the inside and to keep it fresh and soft, I usually cover it with wet paper towels right out of the oven. I love having this bread for breakfast. However, it makes a great addition to any main dish as well. 

The ingredients

To make this Turkish pide bread recipe, you need a few ingredients which you probably already have on hand. 

Milk - Warm milk makes this bread very soft. You can use whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe. 

Water - Same as the milk, the water has to be warm as well. 

Olive oil - A little bit of olive oil improves the texture of the bread. 

Sugar and salt - To balance the flavors and activate the yeast. 

Instant dry yeast - You don't need to bloom it in advance. Simply add it to all the ingredients. 

Egg - Add the white to the dough and the yolk to the glaze. 

All purpose flour - Depending on the flour, you need about 4 ½ cups of it. 

Yogurt - When mixed with egg yolk, it adds a nice color to the bread. 

How to make Turkish pide bread

Make the dough 

In a large bowl whisk milk, water, olive oil, sugar, salt, instant dry yeast and egg white. Add the flour one cup at a time and mix well until combined and the dough comes together. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. 

Shape the dough

Sprinkle the surface generously with flour. Transfer the dough to the surface. Shape it into a boule and make sure it's floured on all sides. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Place two of the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover gently and let them rise for 20 minutes.

Prepare the glaze and final shaping

 preheat the oven to 400ºF and place an empty baking dish in the lower rack. In a small bowl mix egg yolk, yogurt and water. Brush a bit of the glaze on the dough balls and with your fingers, spread them into round circles with about ½ inch thickness. 

Using your fingers, first make indentations on the dough about 1 inch from the edge to make a circle. Then with your fingers make diagonal indentations in two different directions to make diamonds inside that circle. Repeat the same process with the remaining 6 dough balls. Meanwhile

Bake the bread

Once the oven is hot make the indentations again on the dough. Top with sesame seeds and place the baking sheet on the middle. Fill the baking dish on the lower rack with 2 cups of water and close the oven door. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until golden on top. Once out of the oven, cover the loaves with a damp paper towel. The steam of the bread with be trapped and your bread will be soft and fluffy. Repeat the baking process with the remaining loaves. 

Serving suggestions

You can serve this bread as part of breakfast with cheese, labneh, butter, jam and all the other fixings. It also goes very well with all kinds of egg dishes such as menemen, cilbir (Turkish eggs and yogurt), or nargesi (Persian spinach and eggs). 

How long does this bread keep?

Store this bread in a plastic bag or a bread bag and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can refrigerate Turkish pide bread for up to a week as well.  

Can I use whole wheat flour?

It's possible to use some whole wheat flour to make this bread. Substitute 1 ½ cup of whole wheat flour for all purpose flour and use only 3 ½ cup all purpose flour. I don't advise using more whole wheat flour since it's a "denser" type of flour and would change the texture unless you change the ratios of the liquids as well which will call for a few more rounds of testing. 

Notes and tips

• Make 2 large loaves instead of 8 small ones: It's common to make large Turkish pide bread as well. To do so, cut the dough into 2 pieces instead of 8 and proceed with the recipe as instructed. Bake at 400ºF for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden. 
• It's important to cover the pide with damp paper towel once it's out of the oven to keep it soft. 
• To reheat the bread, sprinkle very little water on the bread and heat in the oven at 250ºF for 5 to10 minutes. 
• Make sure to brush the dough balls with the glaze as it would make rolling out the dough much easier. You don't need to use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. 

Step-by-Step Recipe