Kiymali Pide - Turkish Flatbread with Meat

Preparing the Dough

1. Sift the flour in a bowl then add the yeast and warm water.
2. Mix together until combined then add the salt to the bowl.
3. Gently mix with your fingers to form a dough, it will be sticky at that stage.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 4-5 minutes or until it doesn't stick to your hands anymore. You can use a bit of extra flour if needed. It should feel soft and elastic at that stage.
5. Turn the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover with a cling film or clean kitchen cloth and let it rise for an hour until it doubles the size up.
6. Proceed to prepare the mince filling while the dough is rising.

Preparing the Mince Filling

1. Place the onions, tomatoes, peppers, and chili in a food processor.
2. Gently and quickly blitz the vegetables using the pulse function of the food processor. Try and avoid turning them into a mash. We need finely chopped vegetables not puréed. You can also chop by hand but it would take much longer.
3. Place the minced meat into a bowl and add finely chopped vegetables, tomato paste, chopped parsley, salt, chili flakes (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Combine all together using a spoon or a spatula, and keep refrigerated until the dough has doubled up in size.

Making the Pide

1. Preheat the oven to 220° C - 430° F (fan oven).
2. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (approx 160 grams each) and place them on a lightly floured surface. Cover with cling film or a damp kitchen cloth and let it rest for another 10 minutes.
3. Roll one of the dough balls into an oval shape of 15 cm x 35 cm (about 6”x13”) in size and ½ cm (0.2”) in thickness.
4. Spread ¼ of the mince the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 ½ cm border at the edges. Fold the border over the filling and pinch the top and bottom end together.
5. Repeat the same for the remaining 3 dough balls.
6. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper and gently transfer 2 pides on each tray.
7. When the oven is hot enough, place the trays in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the filling is cooked and the pastry is lightly browned.
8. When the pides are cooked, generously brush the crust with butter and slice before serving.