Turkish Ramadan Flat Bread (Pide)

By
Elizabeth Taviloglu
Elizabeth Wilson Taviloğlu
Elizabeth Taviloglu
Food writer Elizabeth Taviloğlu learned Turkish cooking hands-on in Turkey where she has lived and traveled for more than 24 years.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/24/21
Turkish Ramadan Flat Bread (Pide)

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Prep: 105 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 2 loaves

The holy month of Ramadan–or in Turkish Ramazan–is observed by millions of Muslims around the world each year. This time of spirituality and reflection is best known for its tradition of fasting during daylight hours. Paradoxically, it’s also known for its special cuisine once the fast is broken each evening. Turkey, like every country, has its own unique set of foods served during this holiday period.

There are many Turkish ingredients and classic dishes that are associated with Ramazan. But no other item signifies the breaking of the fast better than a loaf of pide (PEE-dae). Pide is a soft, porous, leavened bread that’s shaped by hand. Bakeries all over Turkey provide this Ramazan staple hot and fresh about an hour before evening prayer.

Don’t be surprised if you find a line of people waiting to buy their fresh, hot loaf to bring home just in time for the first evening meal. But you'll have to hurry because you can only find this wonderful bread during the Ramazan period. 

If you don’t want to wait in line or you simply want to make fresh pide yourself, try this easy recipe. You don’t have to limit yourself to Ramazan, either. You can use it to make this delicious bread any time of the year.

Enjoy a slice of this bread fresh out of the oven while it's still warm, or try dipping it in baba ghanoush, or topped with bruschetta. It's also great to use for a sandwich.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 (1/4-ounce) packet instant dry yeast

  • 1 1/3 cups warm water

  • 1/2 cup warm milk

  • 1 tablespoon soft butter or margarine

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

  • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Turkish Ramadan Flat Bread (Pide) ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Place flour and dry yeast in a large bowl, mix to combine.

    flour and dry yeast in a large bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Add the warm water and milk, and combine lightly with a fork.

    milk added to the flour mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Add the softened butter or margarine and olive oil, as well as the sugar and salt, and combine.

    margarine and olive oil added to the flour mixture

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Knead the dough. You can knead with a mixer or by hand. If you are using a mixer, process the dough for about 10 minutes using the dough kneading hook. If you choose to knead by hand, knead the dough in the bowl for 15 minutes.

    dough mixed together in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead for about five minutes more. The dough should be very soft. If it’s too firm, knead in another tablespoon of olive oil until smooth.

    knead dough with hands on a wood board

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Transfer the dough to a plate or bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place. Allow to rise for about two hours.

    dough ball in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. After the dough has doubled in size, fill a shallow metal baking tray or cookie sheet with water and place it in the bottom rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 430 F/225 C.

    baking tray

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. After two hours, the dough should be about double in size. Remove the cloth and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into two pieces with a dough cutter or sharp carving knife.

    two dough balls on a wood board

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Shape your 2 loaves using your fingers. Make each loaf flat and either oval or round, about 1/2 inch thick.

    rolled out dough to a flat dough loaf

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Place each loaf on a metal baking tray sprinkled with flour, or lined with parchment paper.

    rolled out flat dough loaf on a parchment lined baking tray

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  12. Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, first cut about 1 inch in from the edge to make a circle all the way around the loaf. Then, inside the circle, make diagonal cuts in opposite directions to make a diamond pattern. Do the same with the other loaf.

    cut / scored flat dough loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  13. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt and egg yolk. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the loaves generously with the yogurt-egg mixture.

    yogurt and egg yolk mixture brushed on top of the flat dough loaf

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  14. Sprinkle the sesame and nigella seeds evenly over the tops.

    sesame and nigella seeds sprinkled on top of the flat dough loaf

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  15. Bake in the preheated oven with the water tray for about 30 minutes or until the top becomes deep, golden brown. Serve the bread hot out of the oven.

    Turkish Ramadan Flat Bread (Pide) on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
421 Calories
10g Fat
69g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 421
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 69mg 23%
Sodium 408mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 69g 25%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 97mg 7%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 197mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)