Turkish Poğaça – cheese pastry with feta and dill

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 200 g feta cheese or cow’s milk shepherd’s cheese
• ½ bunch of dill
• 125 g butter, soft
• 100 ml oil
• 3 tbsp, heaped natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 egg white
• 1 packet of baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 450 g flour (whole wheat and wheat flour mixed)
• 1 egg yolk for brushing

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

makes about 30 pieces

Turkish poğaça are mostly known as filled dumplings. In this recipe, all the ingredients are simply mixed together and baked like savory biscuits. This is how they are offered in many bakeries in Turkey. First, add the white cheese (feta cheese is also available if you like (I personally prefer cow’s cheese)) and finely chop the dill, then set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour and baking powder with a mixer. Then add the cheese and dill and mix briefly again. Finally, add the flour mixed with the baking powder and continue to work the dough with your hands to prevent the cheese from completely disintegrating. Feel free to use a little less flour at first, about 400-450 g. If it’s not enough, add more flour gradually. More than 500 g shouldn’t be necessary, otherwise the baked goods will be too dry later. The dough should be soft but not sticky. In Turkey, they would say it should have the consistency of an earlobe. Form the dough into small balls the size of ping-pong balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, and flatten slightly. Brush the egg yolk over the balls. Bake the poğaça in a preheated oven at approximately 175-180 degrees Celsius (top/bottom heat) for about 20-25 minutes on the middle rack, until the surface is golden brown. Makes about 30 pieces. The addition of vinegar makes the pastries nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. This is our family’s favorite pastry for tea.