Taste tradition with a twist: Turkish buns for the holidays
There's still a fair amount of time to refine your holiday menu. Undoubtedly, some traditional dishes are hard to part with. However, incorporating small changes won't disrupt anyone's holiday vibe and will certainly bring a breath of fresh air. How about trying Turkish buns called poğaça instead of the usual small meat pies this year? I'm certain more than one person at the table will be asking for the recipe.
Soft buns with nigella seeds make an excellent addition to Christmas Eve borscht. They're light, fluffy, and moist on the inside. You can make them either plain or with filling—the traditional Turkish way. And if not for Christmas Eve borscht, serve them for breakfast; they simply melt in your mouth with butter and homemade jam.
Poğaça buns – Turkish street food
In Turkey, poğaça breakfast buns can be found on every street corner. They are often filled with a type of white cheese called beyaz peynir, which has a consistency similar to feta and a taste akin to creamy mozzarella. You can also find buns filled with vegetables, such as potatoes, eggplant, or caramelized onions, or even with meat.
The buns can also be baked in the shape of bagels and then are called simit. Like poğaça, they can be topped with nigella or sesame seeds. They're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, tasting best when warm. Both make a great addition to Christmas Eve borscht.
To make 20 small buns, you need:
- 2 eggs, 85 g of sugar,
- 740 g of all-purpose flour,
- 11 g of dry yeast,
- 200 ml of milk,
- 150 ml of oil,
- 60 ml of water,
- 11 g of salt,
- 55 g of plain yogurt,
- sesame or nigella seeds for sprinkling.
Step-by-step recipe for poğaça buns:
Step 1. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, 1 egg, yogurt, oil, and a tablespoon of salt. Add slightly warmed milk and water.
Step 2. Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer equipped with dough hooks. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
Step 4. After the dough has risen, tear off pieces and shape them into neat buns. Arrange them a short distance apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Brush the buns with an egg beaten with a tablespoon of milk. Sprinkle your desired seeds on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Before removing from the oven, check if they're baked through using a wooden skewer.
