Revamp your holiday menu with irresistible Turkish buns
There's still some time to perfect the holiday menu. Of course, there are certain dishes that are hard to give up. However, small changes won't ruin anyone's holiday and can definitely bring a breath of fresh air. Instead of the usual small meat pies, maybe this year you'll make Turkish buns called poğaça? I'm sure more than one person at the table will ask you for the recipe.
Soft buns with nigella seeds are an excellent addition to Christmas Eve borscht. They are light, fluffy, and moist inside. You can prepare them plain or with filling, as Turks traditionally do. And if not for Christmas Eve borscht, serve them for breakfast. They melt in your mouth with butter and homemade jam.
Poğaça buns – Turkish street food
In Turkey, breakfast buns called poğaça can be found on every corner. They are most often filled with white cheese known as beyaz peynir. This cheese has a consistency similar to feta and a taste reminiscent of creamy mozzarella. You can also find buns filled with vegetables, like potatoes, eggplant, or caramelized onions, or with meat.
How to make Turkish buns for borscht?
The buns are also baked as bagels and called simit. Like poğaça, they can be sprinkled with nigella or sesame seeds. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, tasting best when they're still warm. Both will be a great addition to Christmas Eve borscht.
To make 20 small buns, you need:
- 2 eggs
- 3 oz of sugar
- 26 oz of all-purpose flour
- 0.4 oz of dry yeast
- 7 fl oz of milk
- 5 fl oz of oil
- 2 fl oz of water
- 0.4 oz of salt
- 2 oz of plain yogurt
- sesame or nigella seeds for sprinkling
Step-by-step recipe for poğaça buns:
Step 1. In a bowl, combine 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 use a mixer with dough hooks. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
Step 3. When the dough has risen, tear off pieces and form them into neat buns. Place them a short distance apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and let them rest for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the buns with an egg beaten with a tablespoon of milk. Sprinkle with the seeds of your choice. Bake for 25 minutes. Before removing the buns from the oven, check if they're baked using a wooden skewer.
